Photos: The 14th annual Autumn Lights Festival at Lake Merritt
Hundreds turned out for the first night of the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt on Thursday evening.
The festival, which features more than 70 locally-produced illuminated art displays, is presented by the Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt, (FGLM) and is a fundraiser for them. FGLM is a volunteer organization which formed in 2004. The FGLM partners with the City of Oakland to enhance the seven-acre collection of themed gardens in the heart of Oakland.
The themed gardens were established more than a half century ago and require lots of upkeep. Volunteers provide much needed maintenance assistance as the City of Oakland’s gardening staff has been dramatically reduced over time. The gardens are a tranquil oasis in the heart of downtown Oakland and provide enriching public programs.
The soldout festival began on Thursday and runs three nights from Oct. 16-18. See their website for more info.
A display at the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Michelle Silva, of Flow Toys, plays with light toys during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Visitors check out displays during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Visitors check out the “Power Up” display by artist Gordon Matassa during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Sutchat Mosley-Wise and Carla Service, from left, of Dance-A-Vision, wave light wands during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Visitors check out the Astro Botanicals Inflatable Sculptures Space Garden display during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Zephira Maltea, of Berkeley, listens to a message on a pay phone during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Visitors check out the displays during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) The “Gourdgous Gourds” display is lit during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Visitors take photos of a display during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) The “All Tentacles on Deck” display by the Lake Merritt Institute is lit during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) A display is lit during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) A visitor hugs the Astro Botanicals Inflatable Sculptures Space Garden display during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) A display is lit during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Visitors hang out inside the Astro Botanicals Inflatable Sculptures Space Garden display during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) A display is lit during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Visitors check out the Astro Botanicals Inflatable Sculptures Space Garden display during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) A man wears a lit snail backpack during the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The event is a fundraiser for the gardens. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
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