Lunar New Year 2023: The Year of the Rabbit in Birmingham

The Lunar New Year celebrations kicked off at the Bullring & Grand Central on Saturday 21st January 2023 with the Traditional Lion Dance from Choy Lee Fut Lion and Dragon Dance Team, orgainised by the Chinese Festival Committee Birmingham. There was also events in Southside at Hippodrome Square and The Arcadian on Sunday 22nd January 2023. Happy Chinese New Year!

Saturday 21st January 2023 at Bullring & Grand Central Birmingham

Chinese Lion Procession (Beginning at 'The Bull')

The festivities began around 12pm at The Bull. Birmingham We Are's Elliott Brown popped up to Costa Coffee inside Next at the Bullring, and after buying a coffee, was able to get a table for the views. After they left Rotunda Square, and went down St Martin's Walk, it was time to leave Costa @ Next and head to the West Mall 2nd floor balcony view!

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dndimg alt="Chinese Lion dance" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/CPL%20Bullring%2021012023%20(10).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Traditional Lion Dance at the Bullring

The Choy Lee Fut Lion and Dragon Dance Team walking in with the their dancing lions and drums on the ground floor of the Bullring, was a great view from the 2nd floor balcony, many people were watching. After introductions from the MC and James Wong, the drummers really showed their stuff to the crowd! Would be more events during the day, but this was all that I wanted to see, and it hurts to stand on one spot for too long.

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dndimg alt="Chinese Lion dance" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TLD%20Bullring%2021012023%20(10).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Sunday 22nd January 2023 around Southside

 

Lunar New Year Celebrations in Hippodrome Square

For the first time in 3 years (since January 2020 before the pandemic), they had a stage set up in Hippodrome Square, and it drew a large crowd of people, a little bit too crowded, and not enough room to walk out of the area. The Chinese lion dancers and drummers went on stage early on, after the procession from The Arcadian.

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dndimg alt="Southside" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Stage%20LNY%20HSq%2022012023%20(6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Ladywell Walk

There was a carousel on Ladywell Walk near Hippodrome Square, as well as a balloon arch. The procession from The Arcadian went up here to the stage.

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Hurst Street

On Hurst Street, south of the Hippodrome was various market stalls and fun fair rides. Was a bit crowded at this end.

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There was also a ride called Hysteria on Hurst Street, close to the Missing bar and Bromsgrove Street. On the roads that were open, was a lot of traffic around. Was also a teacup ride at this end.

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dndimg alt="Hysteria" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hysteria%20HS%2022012023%20(5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The Arcadian

The procession of the lion dance started in the arena here, before proceeding to Ladywell Walk and Hippodrome Square.

dndimg alt="The Arcadian" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/LNY%20Arcadian%2022012023.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown

 

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dndimg alt="Lunar New Year" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/LNY%20Jack%2022012023%20(5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Jack Babington

 

MasterChef champion Dan Lee was also in Southside with his trophy.

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Warner Village Cinemas handprints at Star City

Before Vue was Vue, it was Warner Village Cinemas at Star City, in Nechells, Birmingham. Around 1998, celebrities put their hands and signed in clay, created a mold. Star City opened in 2000, and these handprints can still be found around Star City. See if you can recognise any?

These stars, handprints with celebrity signatures have probably been in and around Star City since the year 2000. It wasn't Warner Village Cinemas for long, as it's been Vue for much longer.

 

WARNER VILLAGE CINEMAS

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Dame Edna Everage

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Kenneth Branagh

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Denise Van Outen

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This one is a bit hard to read? Paul G Hensleigh 78 ?

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Denzel Washington

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Barbara Windsor

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Vinnie Jones

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Joanna Lumley

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Helen Mirren

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Photography by Elliott Brown

My personal top 54 favourites photos taken in 2022

I took photography up around 5 years ago, i have got autism and it is my special interest and hobby.

I love taking pictures around Birmingham city centre the different events happening in 2022 like the gay pride and PolliNations 

so here iare my favourite 54 pictures shot by me, 'prophotographypicture' on Instagram and Twitter.

 

Photos from January to December 2022 

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 Thank you and have a happy new year!

Birmingham UK, My Personal 100 Favourites Taken in 2022

I like to take photos, it's helps my mental health and I don't put myself under any pressure. I love my adopted home city and since discovering that it is a beautiful and amazingly photogenic, diverse and muddled up urban landscape, I have sought to expose the negative myths about Birmingham by publishing my photos since 2010. Please see my 2022 favourites gallery:

January 1st 2022, Clent Hill.

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6th January, snow in Central Square in Brindleyplace.

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15th January, the Broad Street Cluster.

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15th January, The Cube from the 'Secret Garden' atop the Library.

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20th January, pre-sunset over Ladywood.

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3rd February, Ladywood.

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19th February, Three Snow Hill.

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19th February, Luke Perry's 'Forward in Unity' sculpture in Colmore Square.

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23rd February, the Library from 103 Colmore Row, on the 'Views from 103' photography tour.

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23rd February, the sunrise from 103 Colmore Row, on the 'Views from 103' photography tour.

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23rd February, an abstract from 103 Colmore Row, on the 'Views from 103' photography tour.

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23rd February, the Lower Terrace on 103 Colmore Row, on the 'Views from 103' photography tour.

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19th March, the city skyline from Egg Hill near Frankley.

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19th March, Bank Tower Two on Broad Street.

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26th March, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha and St Micheal's Church from the Library.

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26th March, the 'Iron_Man' and the city Council House in Victoria Square and 103 Colmore Row.

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26th March, the weather vane atop St Philip's Cathedral.

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26th March, the Shakespeare Memorial Room atop the Library.

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16th April, sunrise from Brindleyplace.

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16th April, Bank Tower Two reflected in the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

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7th May, the 'Golden Men' back in Centenary Sqaure.

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7th May, the drunk robot at 'Reflex' 80's club on Broad Street.

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14th May, a reflection of the 'Golden Men' in Symphony Hall.

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14th May, the 'Flower of Life' pattern in the Library.

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22nd May, 'Old Joe', the Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower.

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22nd May, 'Old Joe', the Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower.

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28th May, 'Muddle Earth' at the construction of the Octagon at Paradise Birmingham.

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2nd June, the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Victoria Square.

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2nd June, photo panels at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Victoria Square.

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12 June, the installation of 'Foreign Exchange' in Victoria Square.

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12th June, 'Foreign Exchange' in Victoria Square.

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12th June, 'Perry' photobombs the 'Floozie'.

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12th June, 'Foreign Exchange' in Victoria Square.

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24th June, the city skyline from Dudley Castle.

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25th June, an interior of the Library.

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26th June, the city skyline from Egg Hill near Frankley.

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5th July, 'Foreign Exchange' in Victoria Square.

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5th July, a view from One Centenary Way as part of an invited photographers event.

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10th July, 'Perry' banner on the city Council House.

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10th July, the Town Hall.

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10th July, Chamberlain Square.

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22nd July, the Cordia Blackswan sponsored 'King Kong' statue at Great Hampton Street in the Jewellery Quarter.

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22nd July, the Cordia Blackswan sponsored 'King Kong' statue at Great Hampton Street in the Jewellery Quarter.

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27th July, the Queen's Baton Relay arrives in Brindleyplace.

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28th July, Westside BID's 'Big Whistle' event.

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31st July, the 'Brummie Bull' in Centenary Square, detail of the red lit eye.

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31st July, there will be a few of the Bull in this gallery! Here the nostrils.

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31st July, this of the Bull was made into canvases presented to BBC's Mike Bushell and Ian Ward, Birmingham City Council Leader.

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1st August, the 'Brummie Bull' with the Library.

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1st August, 'Foreign Exchange' and the Town Hall.

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1st August, 'Perry' banner on Colmore Row.

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1st August, the Commonwealth Games floral display in Cathedral Square.

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1st August, the Library.

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5th August, the BBC's Mike Bushel in Centenary Square.

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5th August, a rainbow and 103 Colmore Row.

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6th August, Central Square in Brindleyplace.

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6th August, the Cordia Blackswan sponsored 'King Kong' statue at Great Hampton Street in the Jewellery Quarter.

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6th August, the Canal in Brindleyplace.

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6th August, the 'Brummie Bull' and the Library at twilight in Centenary Square.

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7th August, 'Perry' in Centenary Square.

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6th August, the scene of 'Muddle Earth' in Centenary Square.

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7th August, 'Perry' says "no more hiding, Birmingham!".

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9th August, the full moon and the Hyatt Regenct Hotel.

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14th August, the England giant flag pin in Centenary Square with the Library.

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20th August, a view from the Library over Centenary Square.

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20th August, part of the the giant flag pins display in Centenary Square.

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20th August, the 'Brummie Bull' form the Library.

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20th August, the Utilita Arena Birmingham.

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2nd September, the 'Brummie Bull' floraly adorned for the opening of the 'PoliNations' event.

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3rd September, during the first 'Sunset Shift' display at 'PoliNations in Victoria Square.

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11th September, flowers at 'PoliNations'.

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11th September, the city flag at half-mast for the passing of Queen Elizabeth 2nd.

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11th September, the Victoria R statue during the 'PoliNations' event in Victoria Square.

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19th September, part of the city skyline from Barr Beacon.

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24th September, the Laurence Broderick Bull statue adorned with an amazing head dress for Pride Birmingham 2022.

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24th September, a couple at the start of the Pride Birmingham 2022 parade.

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1st October, a scene in Chamberlain Square that I just had to document.

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1st October, sometimes it appears easier to put the crane on the top of the concrete core, here at the construction of South Central.

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2nd October, an abstract reflection in one of the lamps by the canal in Brindleyplace near Old Turn Junction and the Arena.

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2nd October, after his time on display in Centenary Square and having been 'saved' for the city, the 'Brummie Bull' was hosted for a while in a brownfield site provided by an owner in Ladywood.

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8th October, a view west from the 'Secret Garden' atop the Library.

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8th October, a reflection pattern from the windows in the Library Amphitheatre.

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10th October, the city Council House, 'Big Brum' at the Museam and Art Gallery with 103 Colmore Row, featured as November's photo in the 2023 Birmingham Gems Charity Calendar.

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19th October, part of the city skyline from Cotteridge.

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29th October, empty chairs on the City Star Flyer in anticipation before the opening of Ice Skate Birmingham 2022.

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30th October, the city skyline from Lickey Hills Country Park.

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5th November, the rides at Ice Skate Birmingham 2022.

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5th November, the City Star Flyer at Ice Skate Birmingham 2022.

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6th November, the Frankfurt Christmas Market in Victoria Square.

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6th November, the Frankfurt Christmas Market in Victoria Square.

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12th November, a rare selfie reflection in a Christmas Tree ball in Central Square in Brindleyplace.

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13th November, the Remembrace Day Parade in Colmore Row.

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13th November, the 'AIR' ride at Ice Skate Birmingham 2022.

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19th November, the Christmas Fayre in Cathedral Square.

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20th November, shadows on the classic stream engine at the Thinktank museum.

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23rd November, twigs and the 'Flower of Life' architecture on the Library.

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1st December, the revealing of the Luke Perry HIV Memorial in Hurst Street.

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10th December, 'Old Joe', the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower at the University of Birmingham, in a pool of sunlight from Lickey Hills Counrty Park.

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25th December, the city skyline from Oaklands Recreation Ground in Yardley.

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25th December, a part of the city skyline from Oaklands Recreation Ground in Yardley.

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Happy New Year to you all!

Luminate at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Another lights trail at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, on Westbourne Road in Edgbaston. During the Christmas 2022 season. Tickets need to be bought in advance. I went with a group on Tuesday 6th December 2022 between 7pm and 8pm in the evening. The trail was a bit different to the Magical Lantern Festival I'd previously seen here. At least it wasn't raining. But it was cold.

LUMINATE, BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS, CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TRAIL 2022

 

Arriving at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Westbourne Road in Edgbaston. We didn't park here, so we had a bit of a walk from Frederick Road via Calthorpe Road.

The main entrance of the Botanical Gardens, with Christmas trees, where we waited for other members of our group to arrive.

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There was several Christmas trees in the foyer, these ones, near the exit to the shop.

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Later on near the end of the visit was the #BBG hashtag in the foyer and one of the Christmas trees. These are more to do with the Botanical Gardens than Luminate.

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After the group tickets were shown, one of the first things you see is this Luminate sign.

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On the main lawn was these lights that kept changing colours.

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There was a full moon that evening over the Botanical Gardens. The Cold Moon apparently. It was still full two nights later.

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The rainbow ribbon suspension bridge.

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The enchanted fairyland.

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The Glitterball Solar System.

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The rainbow light path.

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The Square light tunnel.

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Spotlights from the Viewpoint near the Refreshments area.

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The Globe lights canopy above a path.

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Bright white reindeer trail.

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The warped light tunnel. This was popular.

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The light bulb beads, you had to walk through these.

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Near the end. The Alpine Yard with lit up greenhouses.

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Photography by Elliott Brown