Enchanted Airlie opens for its 2026 season on November 27. Airlie Gardens calls it its largest fundraiser of the year, and the gardens say the money has helped fund their stormwater master plan. On the Enchanted Airlie event page, Airlie describes itself as "the last point of filtration for the Bradley Creek watershed." It says development over the past 10 years has greatly affected the gardens, and that 2026 is a year to refocus on handling "the millions of gallons of stormwater that enter the gardens."
So the lights on the half-mile walk are reflected in a lake they help pay to clean. The county's latest monitoring says that job is not finished, and the reason sits mostly upstream of the gate.
What the County Measured in Airlie Lake
New Hanover County runs a water quality monitoring program across eight tidal creeks, with three more sampling sites inside Airlie Gardens. On November 3, 2025, a senior marine biologist with the program presented the July 2024 through June 2025 results to the Board of County Commissioners. The Airlie stations follow the water's path: AG-IN where runoff enters, AG-FD further in, and AG-OUT at the outlet.
| Station | Turbidity | Dissolved oxygen | Chlorophyll-a |
|---|---|---|---|
| AG-IN | Good | Poor | Fair |
| AG-FD | Good | Good | Poor |
| AG-OUT | Good | Good | Poor |
Chlorophyll-a measures algae, and the table shows it getting worse as water moves through the lake. Of the three stations, the inflow scored best on that measure. The county's presentation says nutrient levels in the lake have been rising over the long term. It found chlorophyll-a at the two downstream stations "considerably higher" than at the inflow. And it said the constructed wetlands and dredging meant to improve the water "have yet to demonstrate success."
The cause matters more than any single reading. The county concluded that water quality in Airlie "appears to be driven in part by nutrient-laden stormwater runoff which may spur algal blooms and reduced dissolved oxygen." The same report rated chlorophyll-a "good" in all eight tidal creeks it tracks, including Futch, Pages and Prince George creeks. Algae is a problem at Airlie Lake. The creeks the county tracks did not show it.
Where the Water Comes In
The StarNews photographed the lake in December 2025. It reported that Airlie has taken several steps to improve the water and that a new report shows more may be needed. Because of the topography, much of the runoff from areas just outside the gardens flows into Airlie, and much of it comes in through a culvert near Airlie Road. That 10-acre lake is the centerpiece of the gardens, and the StarNews noted that more than 200 bird species have been sighted at Airlie.
Taken together, the lake works as a collection point. The gardens can dredge, plant and build wetlands inside their own boundary. But the nutrients come in with the runoff from outside it, so Airlie can manage that water only after it arrives.
The Fix Runs Through the Rest of Bradley Creek
That is why the most useful stormwater projects nearby are outside Airlie. In 2007, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, the City of Wilmington, the Town of Wrightsville Beach and other partners wrote a watershed restoration plan for Bradley and Hewletts creeks. Their partners call it "a long-term, multi-decade effort" to cut the runoff carrying bacteria and pollutants into the creeks.
The Coastal Federation's project page lists recent work, and some of it is close to Greenville Loop:
- Mad Mole Brewing, 2025. Permeable pavers collect rainwater and let it soak into the ground instead of running toward Bradley Creek. The project was a partnership of Mad Mole, the Coastal Federation, the city's Heal Our Waterways program and Thorpe Landscapes.
- UNCW Brooks Field, 2025. A 250-foot compacted service road was rebuilt with permeable pavers. It now absorbs up to 19,500 gallons each time it rains.
- UNCW Randall parking lot, 2024. Thirty-five asphalt parking stalls were replaced with permeable pavement.
Brewery visitors may also know Mad Mole from the gardens. In 2025 it was one of three food and drink vendors at Enchanted Airlie, along with David's Deli and Noni Bacca Winery.
The creek still needs the work. UNCW's water quality report for 2025, released by the city in June 2026, found high fecal coliform counts at four of five Bradley Creek stations and recorded one large algal bloom. The same report says stream rehabilitation between College Acres and Mallard Street was finished, and work continues at the headwaters of Clear Run.
Booking an Evening Before the Dates Fill
Enchanted Airlie began in 2005. The 2026 run is November 27 and 28, then nightly from December 1 through 21. Public tickets went on sale October 28, and the event is sold only in advance, online through Etix or at the Airlie Gardens Gift Shop. Tickets are priced by vehicle:
| Ticket | Price before tax and fees | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Carload | $35 | Car, standard truck, SUV or minivan that fits a standard space |
| XL Van | $65 | Up to 11-passenger or conversion vans |
| Group, nonprofit | $85 | 12 or more passengers in one vehicle, by reservation |
| Group, for-profit | $125 | 12 or more passengers in one vehicle, by reservation |
Buying at the gift shop avoids the online service fees, though tax still applies. These rules usually trip up first-time visitors:
- Each transaction is limited to two tickets.
- There is no waitlist. Returned or refunded tickets go back on the ticketing page, so checking that page again is the only way to find an opening on a sold-out night.
- Arrivals are timed. For example, 6:30 p.m. ticket holders can arrive no earlier than 6:15 p.m. and no later than 7 p.m., and must leave by 7:30 p.m. The 5:30, 7:30 and 8:30 slots work the same way.
- Everyone in a group must arrive in the same vehicle. Walk-ins and bicycles are not permitted, and all parking is on site.
- The event goes on rain or shine. Airlie does not process refunds itself; refund and exchange requests go through Etix and depend on availability.
The half-mile walk is accessible for wheelchairs, walkers and strollers. Wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge with an ID, first come, first served. Airlie does not run visitor trams for the event, and Santa Claus is no longer part of it.
The Lake by Daylight
The evening walk shows the lake mostly as dark water reflecting the lights. Through December 31, Airlie's 2026 exhibit, unFROGettable, has ten oversized fiberglass frog sculptures placed around the grounds. A daytime visit before the exhibit closes is the easiest time to walk the edge of Airlie Lake and see the water the holiday ticket money is working to clean.
If you live near Bradley Creek and want to know how runoff projects like these affect the streets around your home, Happy Clark is glad to talk it through. Request a complimentary home valuation or schedule a private consultation.
