Winter Wonderlights opened last night for its seventh season at the Greensboro Science Center. It runs through January 3, 2027. For Irving Park, it's the big holiday light show closest to home, a straight drive up Lawndale Drive past the Harris Teeter at West Cornwallis. This year the trickiest part of the evening is the parking lot, which is still a construction site.
The Science Center is adding 137 parking spaces. The City of Greensboro's Country Park page says the work is "expected to be completed by December." So the first weeks of the light show and the last weeks of construction overlap. If you're going from Irving Park, plan around that overlap first. Tickets and arrival time come after.
The Lot Gets Smaller Before It Gets Bigger
The Science Center announced the expansion on July 8, 2026. Construction started Monday, July 27, with an estimate of about 90 days. Timmons Group designed the expansion and Samet Corporation is building it. Samet is also the builder on the Science Center's Expedition Rainforest biodome project. The release, republished on the GMA & Member News page, explained that the work would be done in phases so the campus could keep as much parking open as possible. Its numbers show how much room that leaves.
| Stage of the project | Approximate Science Center parking spaces |
|---|---|
| Before construction began in July 2026 | 518 |
| Phase 1 of construction | 493 |
| Phase 2 of construction | 387 |
| After completion | More than 600 |
At its lowest point, the lot holds about 130 fewer cars than it did before construction started. Once it's finished, it will hold more than it ever has. Construction was still affecting the campus in early November: the Science Center's Winter Wonderlights page said "Parking lot expansion underway" and noted that the Rotary Club of Greensboro Carousel would close November 4 through 8 for the work.
Even without construction, the lot fills up on the light show's busiest nights. The Science Center's Winter Wonderlights FAQ calls on-site parking limited, free and first-come, first-served, and recommends carpooling or ridesharing "on our busier nights, which are typically Fridays and Saturdays." With fewer spaces this year, that advice matters more than usual.
Where the Other Cars Go
During construction, the Science Center's hours and prices page sends visitors to two more lots, one at Jaycee Park and one at the Nathanael Greene entrance to Country Park, 3905 Nathanael Greene Dr. The City lists them in very different sizes:
- Jaycee Park lot on Jaycee Park Drive. The City lists about 300 spaces, with access through the park's south entrance. That's the biggest lot near the Science Center outside its own.
- Nathanael Greene entrance, 3905 Nathanael Greene Dr. The City lists 55 spaces.
- Orman Road lot. It's closed. The City says the Orman Road entrance is temporarily shut, and the Science Center's release says Orman Road and its lot are closed to cars and pedestrians because of construction traffic.
Country Park users have lost their usual parking too. The City says there is currently "NO ACCESS" into Country Park from the Science Center and no Country Park parking at the Science Center. Park users have been moved to Jaycee Park and Nathanael Greene Drive, the same two lots the Science Center points its own overflow to. The free Country Park Shuttle, which ran weekends and holidays from May through October, is listed as unavailable for the rest of the 2026 season. Before you leave home, open the Science Center's map from its hours page and decide which entrance you'll head for.
The work has closed other spots in the Battleground Parks District, which is useful to know if you were planning a daytime visit too. The FLYWAY zipline is closed for the length of construction. The boardwalk section to Shelter #1 is closed, and the Event Promenade near the Country Park office is closed to events and food trucks. The roadway inside Country Park is closed to cyclists. The City says the sidewalk serving as the detour route is too narrow for walkers and riders to share.
Why a Weeknight Is Worth More This Year
The parking crunch makes your choice of night more important. FOX8 reported that Winter Wonderlights runs nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. Tickets cost $15 to $25 per person, children 2 and younger get in free, and community discount nights cost $15. Fridays and Saturdays are when the Science Center expects its biggest crowds. On those nights, a smaller lot fills up early.
A Tuesday or Wednesday visit takes care of most of the problem. A few more details can save a wasted trip:
- The calendar. The Science Center posts a 2026 event schedule with color codes for closed nights, discount community nights, regular admission, Santa On Site and Merry Mermaid Storytime. Check it before you buy, especially around Thanksgiving week.
- Weather. Winter Wonderlights runs rain or shine. If extreme weather makes conditions unsafe, the Science Center offers another date, but no refunds.
- Discounts. Science Center members, SNAP/EBT/WIC participants and groups of 15 or more get discounted admission. The SNAP/EBT/WIC rate is for in-person, same-day purchases only, and reciprocal memberships aren't accepted for this event.
- Daytime visits. The Science Center closes early during Winter Wonderlights, so a combined afternoon-and-evening outing has less daytime than usual.
What's Waiting Once You're Parked
Once you're parked, the show has more than a million lights, handcrafted lanterns and the glowing tunnel. Two of this year's new features have set times, which helps if you arrive on a weeknight and want to plan the order of your visit.
Laser Holidays is new for 2026. It's a 15-minute holiday laser show in the OmniSphere Theater that repeats all evening and is included with admission. The Merry Mermaids are back with an updated experience: a mermaid tells a goodnight story about a sleepy Science Center in the SAIL Center Atrium at 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 p.m., also included with admission. If you're visiting with young children, an early arrival lines up well. The first storytime starts an hour after the gates open at 5 p.m., before the late crowds and while you still have the most lot spaces to choose from.
The season opened with two new evenings that have already happened. The 21+ Jingle Brew preview on November 13 featured SouthEnd Brewing Co., Pig Pounder Brewery, Oden Brewing Company, Forgotten Road Ales, Fiddlin' Fish Brewing Company, Southern Drift Brewing Company and Stardust Cellars, with food from Pepper Moon Catering. On Tuesday, November 17, the Science Center held its first Winter Wonderlights Sensory Friendly Night, with quieter music, quiet zones and sensory bags. If you have family members who would enjoy either one, keep an eye on next year's calendar. The event path is wheelchair-friendly, and Guest Services has a limited number of wheelchairs available with a photo ID.
The Payoff Arrives Mid-Season
If the City's estimate holds, the expansion will finish while Winter Wonderlights is still running. The lot would then go from its reduced construction capacity to more than 600 spaces before the show closes January 3. According to the Science Center's release, those spaces will also serve Country Park visitors, who share access to the same area. That covers Irving Park families who use the park's 1.67 miles of paved trail and its dog park with separate large- and small-breed areas. Until the new spaces open, plan on a Tuesday or Wednesday, an early arrival and Jaycee Park as your backup lot.
When you're out on Lawndale this season, spend a few minutes on the streets around Irving Park as well. Holiday lights show off a home's lines, landscaping and setting better than almost anything else. If you've been wondering what yours might be worth come spring, Colleen Long would be glad to walk through it with you. Let's Connect and request your free home valuation.
