By Jim Carchidi
As founder and executive director of Creative City Project and The Memoir Agency, Cole NeSmith has organized some of Orlando’s most engaging entertainment experiences. Among them is Dazzling Nights, the immersive holiday spectacle returning to Harry P Leu Gardens for its sixth year, Nov. 28, 2025, to Jan. 4, 2026. NeSmith took some time away from the installation to discuss the effort behind the exhibits.
Dazzling designs
Guests take advantage of the many photo ops and themed-areras along the Dazzling Nights walking path during a Jan. 24 preview. Photos by Jim Carchidi
The "Joyful Journey" tunnel envelopes the crowd in a galaxy of tiny lights.
"The Woodlands" features an ornate dining scene hosted by forest animals.
The "Fireflies & Butterflies" area comes alive with wing-flapping butterflies and spinning firefly designs.
The "Under the Stars" display is highlighted by a 50-foot star in the rode garden where live music is performed throughout the night,
"Winter Solstice" is adorned with campfire displays where guests can take a break.
The walking path is filled with small hidden Yetis that appear in larger forms at the end of the trail.
Presented by AdventHealth and produced by Creative City Project, Dazzling Nights illuminates Leu Gardens’ 50 acres with animated displays, play areas, winding paths, and live entertainment.
Cole NeSmith welcomes guests and thanks the team of designers and supporters during the Jan. 24 preview.
“It’s an opportunity to create something unique year after year,” NeSmith told The Orlando Real. “Ever since we started in the winter of 2020 we have been able to continue to expand the show and this is our biggest year yet."
Among the new experiences are:
- A 50-foot star hanging over the center of the Rose Garden
- A European-style market with merchandise, performers, food and beverage vendors
- A 60-foot long “Stained Glass Tunnel”
- An “8-bit Christmas” experience with hands-on digital effects gaming components
- Live music throughout the evening
Reuse and redesign
Light walls from Dazzling Nights 2024 were reimagined as a stained glass cathedral.
NeSmith says several elements from previous years have evolved into new attractions, like this year’s “Stained Glass Tunnel."
"Last year we built these 30-foot light walls that are reimagined and expanded,” he explained. Stained glass patterns inspired by Gothic cathedrals were created with thousands of illuminated elements that surround guests inside a structure measuring 20 feet high, 20 feet wide, and 60 feet long.
The 8-bit Christmas play area features interactive ball-toss games with digital characters.
The “8-bit Christmas” zone is a re-use of an “8-bit Spring” experience, installed earlier this year on Orange Avenue.
“We replaced the springtime elements with giant 8-bit elves and Santas that respond as people throw cotton snowballs through holes in these pyramid structures,” NeSmith said. “Just those fun moments of play are a big part of what guests will experience this year."
Behind the scenes
Creative City Project and The Memoir Agency work with in-house design, animation, and fabrication teams to create original concepts well in advance of every show. “Everything that we do definitely informs everything else,” NeSmith said. “We are constantly learning how to more efficiently build things, store them more efficiently, and what materials can help us ensure longevity."
Large scale productions require an advanced timeline and NeSmith’s projects require even more time. Designs are already in progress for Dazzling Nights 2026 and work is well under way on Immerse 2026.
The three-day festival, Feb. 20-22, fills 12 blocks in downtown Orlando with performing arts, pyrotechnics, interactive elements, and art exhibits.
Inflatable environments by Architects of Air will return to downtown Orlando for Immerse 2026. Image courtesy of Creative City Project
“Architects of Air will return with a new structure that will be at Seneff Plaza the entire month of February,” NeSmith said. And Orlando Vocal Collective founder Chris Keough, who performed at Immerse 2025 and recently produced concerts at Orlando’s Renaissance Theatre based on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album, will also return.
Downtown attraction
Dazzling Nights and Immerse have a strong local following but also attract out-of-town visitors. NeSmith is a lifelong Orlando resident who remembers the days of downtown attractions like Terror on Church Street, Q-Zar lazer tag, and Church Street Arcade that had a similar draw. He believes the sense of community and economic vitality can return through a concerted effort to repopulate empty storefronts and expand transportation options, but adds that tourism must also be part of the equation.
“There's a lot of New Yorkers who love Broadway,” he said. “But if there weren't millions of tourists coming to New York every year to see a Broadway show, it wouldn't exist. So, I think our ability to tap into our tourism market is a big element of how we can have a revitalized downtown Orlando."
Dazzling Nights begins on Nov. 28 and tickets start at $31.50 for adults, $29.50 for children ages 4-12, and children 3 and under enter free of charge. Timed entries will be scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Log onto the Dazzling Nights website for more information.
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