Oakland’s Autumn Lights Festival 2024
By George Haas
October 20, 2024
The annual fundraiser for the Gardens at Lake Merritt, Oakland, California is referred to as Autumn Lights Festival. The Gardens at Lake Merritt are a collection of 13 themed gardens which require volunteer help and levels of upkeep. The Gardens were established more than a half century ago. The Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt is located within the Gardens.
Autumn Lights Festival was hosted by the Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt (FGLM) on October 17, 18 and 19, 2024. FGLM was formed in 2004 and is an entirely volunteer organization. The mission of FGLM is to partner with the City of Oakland to enhance the seven-acre collection of themed gardens.
Autumn Lights Festival occurs over three nights in October; Thursday, Friday and Saturday, from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m.
The event brings together Oakland’s horticultural, arts and music communities to “delight and amaze attendees”, and to raise funds to sustain the Gardens’ facilities and FGLM programs.
Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt is permanent home to some of the finest bonsai on the west coast. BGLM is the only major all-volunteer bonsai garden in the country and houses some of the most important bonsai in the US. BGLM opened its gate in 1999. It is staffed and maintained by volunteers from throughout the greater San Francisco/Bay Area and is supported entirely by donations from the public and the bonsai community.
During Autumn Lights Festival 2024, more than 7,000 attendees visited the BGLM. They enjoyed the bonsai illuminated designs by BGLM artists Randi Keppeler, Rick Medress and Paul Jones.
This year, BGLM participated in the Art Market by selling its 25th anniversary book, t-shirts and logo items.
Photographs by Randi Keppeler.
