Gaiser Conservatory aglow with holiday lights

The holiday lights will be twinkling at Gaiser Conservatory beginning Friday as the Friends of Manito once again celebrate the season by decorating trees, flowers and succulents with more than 30,000 lights.

The lights were first put up in 1994 and a pre-holiday visit has become a tradition for many.

The lights will remain up through Dec. 22, and can be viewed daily from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

On Saturday and Sunday there will be open houses at the Manito meeting room east of the conservatory from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The open houses feature cookie decorating for children and beverages for grown-ups, as well as an opportunity to purchase poinsettias and 2014 Manito Park calendars. All proceeds will go the Friends of Manito, a nonprofit group that works on maintenance and restoration projects in Manito Park.