A photo of the Yakima Area Arboretum Luminera pathway after being lit during a clear winter night. Dale Gress photo

By CHRIS THORN

People have many different traditions when it comes to celebrating the holiday season. The Yakima Area Arboretum Lumineria celebration is one of the many ways the holiday season can be enjoyed here in Yakima, but Lumineria is rare because there aren’t many events like it.

“It’s kind of magical out there,” said co-executive director Colleen Adams-Shuppe. “It’s a good family event.”

The Yakima Area Arboretum Lumineria is celebrating their 20th year with this year’s event and it all began with the Arboretum board deciding to host a special event during the holiday season.

“The board wanted to do a winter event and they approached the Cascadians,” Colleen said.

The Cascadians, being an outdoor recreation and conservation club with local members who truly love the outdoors, teamed up with the Arboretum and have created a great local event.

In the past few years the volunteers for Lumineria have shifted from the Cascadians to employees of the Arboretum and others. One of the main responsibilities for volunteers is to fill more than 1,000 white bags with sand and candles to place along the Arboretum’s pathway.

“It takes two hours for our people to light the candles,” Colleen said.

This year’s Lumineria begins Dec. 9-10 from 6 to 9 p.m. The event features music playing outside during the walks, the tallest lighted Christmas tree in Central Washington, twinkling lights in the Japanese Garden, children’s crafts, coffee, hot cocoa, apple cider and other treats. Artists also perform each hour inside the Arboretum.

Colleen said they have also opened up more parking at the Arboretum for the event so they have access for more people.

“We really don’t have to turn anyone away,” she said.

Lumineria is handicapped accessible so anyone can visit and participate. It is free as well.

For more information call (509) 248-7337 or visit www.ahtrees.org. The Yakima Area Arboretum is located at 1401 Arboretum Drive. Donations for this year’s event come from Holtzinger Fruit Co., Zirkle Fruit, Tree Top, and others.