There will be a check-in tent at the north end of Central Ave by the front gates where guests may have their tickets scanned to enter the event. Guests parking on the West Side (i.e. Yellow, Orange, and Pink streets) are encouraged to check in here. A second check-in tent will be on Fountain Ave for all guests parking on the East Side (i.e. Purple, Blue, and Green streets). See parking map below.

There are several streets designated for guest parking (identified by color on the map below). There will be parking attendants on each street as well as directional signs and light towers to help guide your way. The walking distance from each parking area to the event area is between 10-15 minutes. Please drive carefully as pedestrians will be sharing the road with vehicles.

If you need accessible parking, please tell the parking attendant when you enter through the front gate and they will direct you to the appropriate area. While there is enough parking available for all guests, we do encourage people to take public transit (71 or 73 buses) or use Rideshare Apps as a more sustainable option. NOTE: Except for accessible parking, guests may not request specific parking areas. Guests will be directed to the available spots by event staff.

(See Event Map)

Merchandise from local vendors (card only), as well as baked goods and warm drinks will be available for purchase on Fountain Ave and are to be consumed in designated areas (cash and card accepted). Guests may also purchase or renew a Friends of Mount Auburn Membership here.

Visit the Program page to learn more about the Hortus Gateway, Eclipse, SOLSTICE Canvas, and Phase Garden, created by MASARY Studios and commissioned by Mount Auburn Cemetery. Read about this year’s Thought Artists on either the Program page or the Artist page.

Colored lights gently illuminate monuments, trees, and the ground; pathway lighting at ground level shoots across the path from both sides, beginning along Central Ave. This lighting is present throughout the experience, bringing beauty to the landscape and illuminating the self guided pathways. Of note, the main pathways throughout the experience are generally flat asphalt or mat material; the lighting visually creates striations throughout the pathways, but there is no depth to the pathways. At thresholds where there are stairs, steps will be clearly lit.

The interior of Story Chapel is lowly lit and features a suspended screen at the back of the space where the 2023 Thought Artist film (captioned) is playing on loop. The film features four different “Thought Artists” discussing their reflections on the solstice (runtime is roughly 10-15 minutes). The voices and ambient sound from the film screening can be heard throughout the space. As you move through the center of the Chapel, its main aisle is framed by some seating. The Community Message Boards may be found on either side of the main aisle.

Inspired by worldwide cultural traditions of “Wishing Trees,” where people leave offerings, prayers, and messages of hope, our Community Message Boards are a place for you to write a message to a loved one, leave a thoughtful note for a stranger, reflect on the past year, or set an intention for the new one. There will be an assortment of colored paper to choose from and twine with which you may tie your message to the grid. An event staff member will be there to assist guests, as necessary.

As you leave Story Chapel, heading south towards Central Ave, you are welcomed by a “gateway” of four illuminated vertical wooden pillars. The pillars are engraved with a symmetrical design of large leaves, pine needles, acorns, and sun symbols that are inspired by the landscape at Mount Auburn Cemetery. As guests pass through this “gateway”, the brightness and color of the illumination on the towers changes, acknowledging passers-by.

On the left along Central Ave, a concrete ramp descends into the sunken, ellipse-shaped area, Hazel Dell. At the bottom of the ramp, is a wide, flat concrete area. Here, guests are confronted with a large black disc, suspended in the center of the area, about 60 feet from the concrete edge. Warm white light gently moves and spills from the perimeter of the disc, illuminating its edges and casting a hollow, circular eclipse and shadow that extends across the ground. Haze periodically flows around the sculpture and sound emanates from the area immediately surrounding the disc with low hums and whisps composed in conjunction with subtle changes of light.

This year, there is an extended pathway up Central Ave that turns right onto Geranium Path and curves back toward Bigelow Chapel from Cedar Ave. This paved illuminated pathway will give guests the opportunity to slow down, contemplate, and enjoy the night sky in a quieter part of the Cemetery.

Before entering the Chapel, guests may move onto the lawn area to take in two projected, looping animations and accompanying sound on the Chapel façade. The pieces are abstract and illuminate the exterior of the Chapel with imagery reminiscent of stars and light choreographed to transform the facade itself.

Upon entering the Chapel, guests are encouraged to move toward the back of the glass corridor of the contemporary wing. This hallway is cantilevered above the illuminated grounds of the cemetery. Its overlook frames the continuously-moving lights encircling Asa Gray Garden, the final artwork of the Solstice experience, and broader landscape. Along the south wall, a video (captioned) is playing, featuring a reading of the poem, “We Remember Them”, a tradition at Mount Auburn Cemetery. After picking up a candle and experiencing the video, you are directed back toward the chapel.

As guests enter the historic Chapel, they will be welcomed by the warm glow of beeswax candles where the softly-lit stone ceiling echoes with the sound of live string music from the Chapel balconies. A staff member will be present to light the candles before guests place them on one of the tables on either side of the altar. Guests are encouraged to quietly enjoy the gentle Chapel atmosphere and reflect on their SOLSTICE experience.

Twelve tall towers are line with light fixtures and speakers equidistantly-spaced around the first ring of Asa Gray Garden. Sound swirls around the space, coming from each tower, and phases in and out of a rhythm synchronized with moving and pulsating light. You are invited to move through the inner rings and outer paved ring of Asa Gray Garden and experience these surrounding sensations. There are benches and chairs throughout the garden for enjoying this installation as long as you’d like before exiting northeast along Lawn Ave, towards Fountain and Central Aves, back at the start of the experience.