There's just something magical about spotting some fireflies on a nice Minnesota summer evening.
Oftentimes, you might see a small handful of them floating around in your backyard. Even seeing just a few can be fun, but what about being surrounded by hundreds of them? That sounds pretty magical to me!
A popular science-focused Minnesota outdoor attraction is offering a handful of firefly viewing nights this year where you can experience that kind of magic.
'Firefly Viewing Nights' at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
If you've never been to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, they have a lot of really interesting reasons to visit all year.
One of their most popular draws each year is the springtime tulip bloom, when over 40,000 tulips burst into a rainbow of color. But that's definitely not where the events and activities end!
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The 'Arb', is it is also known, is managed by the University of Minnesota. They offer a bunch of great activities and viewing opportunities all year long that involve the various plants and other creatures at their expansive facility.
One of them that caught my eye for this year is their firefly viewing nights, scheduled for 9 different nights this summer.
Each of their firefly viewing nights gives visitors the chance to "experience the magic" of "hundreds of fireflies flashing through the sky", as they put it.
You can learn about these insects from local experts and Master Naturalists on site during the events, with the opportunity to see these "lightning bugs" and other nighttime creatures.
What can you expect from these firefly viewing nights?
There are a few different options to enjoy the evening scenery and fireflies floating about at the Arboretum.
There are a couple of different firefly-viewing hikes that are available throughout the grounds. The routes include trips through four different areas: their Wildflower Garden, the Three-Mile Walk, the Farm at the Arb, and the Bog Walk.
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The staff will provide notes on which area is offering the best viewing each night, if you only want to visit just one spot.
The evenings will start with an outdoor program in the Sensory Garden parking lot, and the opportunity to explore each of the four areas at your own pace. There will also be opportunities to learn about the nighttime creatures that you'll see around the Arboretum.
When are the 2025 Minnesota Landscape Arboretum firefly viewing nights?
The first of the 9 nights is Thursday, June 26. Each night's hours are from 8:30 pm until 10:30 pm.
Here's the full schedule:
June 2025 firefly viewing nights
- Thursday, June 26
- Friday, June 27
- Saturday, June 28
July 2025 firefly viewing nights
- Thursday, July 3
- Saturday, July 5
- Sunday, July 6
- Thursday, July 10
- Friday, July 11
- Saturday July 12
You do need to purchase tickets to enjoy these firefly viewing nights.. They are available to Abroretum members for $10, $20 for non-members, and $7.50 for children ages 15 and younger.
You can learn more about the events and purchase tickets via the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's Firefly Viewing Nights page.
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Gallery Credit: Curt St. John
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