Thursday, September 24, 2026
Join us at the Arnold Arboretum as we debut a captivating new event: Afterglow at the Arnold! This enchanting evening of discovery under the stars celebrates the Arboretum as a free public park in the City of Boston, a “museum of trees,” a conservation and research institution, and a community resource for education and well-being. The event will be hosted in our Arnold Arboretum’s Explorers Garden on Bussey Hill, where plants collected from around the world are cultivated to support the study and preservation of biodiversity. Guests will engage with Arboretum experts while enjoying cocktails and passed food in the living collections, followed by music and dancing under a tent.
Afterglow at the Arnold starts at 5:30pm with a VIP experience for guests to interact with Arboretum leadership and draw from their vast knowledge of the Arboretum and its collections. Guests can mingle and enjoy food and drinks while the sun sets and our trees are illuminated. The exclusive VIP experience runs until 7:30pm, but VIP ticket holders are welcome and encouraged to stay the entire evening, and especially for the speaking remarks at 8:15pm.
This event is presented with the Young Friends at the Arnold, our friends group designed to inspire supporters aged 21-45 (and anyone young at heart) to engage more deeply with the Arboretum and the natural world. Guests purchasing a Young Friends ticket are invited to join the event from 7:30-10:30pm, featuring passed food, drinks, music, and content stations will be available for the rest of the evening.
Interested in sponsoring this event? Check out sponsorship levels and benefits here.
Afterglow Sponsors
Marquee Rhody Dell Sponsor
Bartlett Tree Experts
Afterglow Event Committee
Arisa Boit
RoAnn Costin
Joan Kelly
Shelly Lamborn
Georgia Lee
Kate & Celia Segel
Heather Bello Thornhill
Register here—tickets are expected to go quickly! Choose the ticket level that works best for you.
Event Details and Schedule
Location: Explorers Garden at the Arnold Arboretum
Address for arrival: 1300 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131 (Parking Available)
5:30–7:30pm — Afterglow VIP Experience
- Hearty bites and food stations
- Specialty cocktail/mocktail
- Special content with Arboretum leaders
7:30–10:30pm — Afterparty / Young Friends
- Passed food and an open wine and beer bar
- Content tables with staff experts
- Live band and dancing
8:15pm — Program
- Brief remarks and presentation from Arboretum Director
Ticket Prices
VIP Tickets (Access to full event from 5:30–10:30pm):
- VIP Patron Full Afterglow ticket: $1,000
- VIP Non-member Full Afterglow ticket: $550
- VIP Member Full Afterglow ticket: $500
Afterparty/Young Friends Tickets (Access from 7:30–10:30pm only):
- Patron YFA Afterparty ticket: $300
- Non-member YFA Afterparty ticket: $150
- Member YFA Afterparty ticket: $115
Sponsorship Levels
- Marquee Rhody Dell Sponsor: $20,000 (8 VIP Patron Full Afterglow Tickets + 12 Patron YFA Afterparty Tickets)
- Mountain Laurel VIP Patron Sponsor: $12,500 (8 VIP Patron Full Afterglow Tickets)
- Flame Azalea Afterparty Sponsor: $6,000 (12 Patron YFA Afterparty tickets)