The Rose Kennedy Greenway’s winter lights display is back, new and improved.

Hatchlings, the captivating winter lights installation created by interdisciplinary design team Studio HHH first graced The Greenway last winter, lighting up the park with vibrant, animated arches that offer a playful nod to one of Boston’s most iconic landmarks, the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade.

Hatchlings brings to life the whimsical idea of the Hatch Shell "hatching" a series of baby shells that wander off along the Greenway like a multicolored parade of ducklings. This year, the installations have expanded from seven to nine mini-Hatch Shell structures scattered across the park, including a new arrangement of three Hatchlings in a single space, creating a primary destination for visitors near the summer site of the Trillium Beer Garden. The smallest measures 2.5 feet, while the largest reaches 8.5 feet tall. The bright, joyful display invites visitors to engage with the park in a new way, serving as an interactive photo backdrop and a perfect spot for informal gatherings.

“We really loved the challenge of creating an experience specific to Boston’s identity,” said Vanessa Till Hooper, founder and creative director of Studio HHH.

“The Hatch Shell design has these wood baffles that bounce the sound from the stage out into the grassy area in front of it. Those angles are what we were replicating in the weaving of the lights to mimic those baffled angles. So, what you see in wood in the Hatch Shell is what you see in the lights in the Hatchlings.”

Each Hatchling is powered by solar energy, a symbolic aspect of the artwork that functions as a model of smart implementation of solar energy even in the darker winter months. “Sustainability these days is so much about awareness and also proving that things are possible,” Till Hooper said. “It was a mission for us to prove that it was possible to do a winter lights installation that had a solar element and really showcasing it as an opportunity for other people to consider the use of solar in their holiday lights.”

This year’s setup is about 50/50 solar and hybrid energy. With some of the installations relying entirely on solar energy, some entirely on the grid, but mostly a hybrid mix.

Initially, the Hatchlings were intended to be small performance spaces to book live music or throw impromptu performances, but the studio quickly learned last year that the public wanted to engage with the structures more directly. They moved performances to be adjacent to the Hatchlings, opening up the structures as a collection of Boston’s brightest holiday photo backdrops.

To celebrate the return of the Hatchlings, the Greenway Conservancy is hosting the Winter Warmer event on Saturday, December 21, from 2pm to 4pm at Rings Fountain. The free event will feature hot chocolate, a holiday toy workshop, a bubble house, a photo booth, live music and an instrument petting zoo presented by the Boston Music Project

The Hatchlings will remain on display throughout the winter months, until February 2025. Visitors are encouraged to check out an interactive walking tour of the installations on the Greenway’s website.