If you’re wondering what to do on your free holiday evenings now that school is almost out, look no further than the sixth annual Garden of Lights.

Located on 2145 Centre Ave., the botanical gardens on Spring Creek have transformed into an LED forest. Thousands of lights have been molded into the shape of perennial flower beds, vegetable gardens and even a bright blue pond.

The opening ceremony launched the events last Friday and the gardens will be open through Jan. 1 from 5-9 p.m. each night. Special events listed in the schedule will happen from 6-8 p.m. Visiting the Garden of Lights is free, but a $2 donation per person is suggested.

Besides the illuminating spectacle, the Garden of Lights is different from your average outdoor holiday event because it features the Sugar Plum Hairies. These canine fairies are highly trained therapy dogs that will perform all sorts of tricks, along with hosting a story time for the kids.

Local mobile bakery Cupcake Cruiser participated in the event for the past three years. The types of cupcakes will change each day, but be on the lookout for special winter flavors like gingerbread, eggnog, peppermint, hot chocolate and apple cider, said owner Kati Anderson.

A new food provider this year is Stuff-n-Mallows. This unique treat was the brainchild of three CSU business students after they took marshmallows and filled them with different kinds of chocolate chips. They’ll be featuring their seasonal peppermint chocolate chip stuffed marshmallow, according to co-founder James Schrack.

Carolers from all around Fort Collins will be singing their take on classical holiday tunes. This year will mark the SunnySide Singers’ fourth appearance at the Gardens. This troupe of vocalists encourage everyone to sing along to their old-fashioned songs like “White Christmas,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.”

“It’s designed to be a lot of fun,” said Johnna Bavoso, keyboardist for the group.

A complete schedule of the events can be found at the Gardens on Spring Creek website.

Collegian Entertainment Reporter Jefferson Geiger can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.