That’s right, NYC’s magnificent Winter Lantern Festival has returned – now with four different events that have New York glowing like never before.
Created as a way for visitors to experience and learn about the culture and craftsmanship of traditional Chinese lantern festivals, these incredible events have been met with rave reviews year after year. Each of the over 10,000 lanterns is entirely hand made by over 100 artists, formed with thin wire, brightly colored silk or gauze, and lit by LEDs for the most magical creations.
They range in size from massive structures up to 30 feet high that you can walk through, to gardens of light-up flowers, to under-the-sea moments, all across a total of 60 acres!
On October 21, the first festival opened in Staten Island’s beautiful SIUH Community Park. Head there now to see over a thousand handmade lanterns and thousands of lights, sculpted into magnificent figures at “Journey to the East.” Witness a vast space of luminous creations inspired by Chinese myths and legends including a larger-than-life handmade lantern display of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King reaching 33 feet tall – illuminated (rideable) swings, food vendors, and great photo ops!
Grab tickets to this one here.
Next, NYC Winter Lantern Festival’s visually immersive drive-thru experience returned on November 3! Located at the Nassau County Museum of Art on Long Island, the “Nassau Drive-Thru Adventure” will dazzle your friends and family as you roll through over 20 acres of vivid lanterns and holiday lights inspired by outer space (think: planets, rockets, astronauts & more!). Buy tickets here.
A newcomer to the festival lineup this year is the “Suffolk Winter Lantern Festival” at Smithtown Historical Society, also on Long Island, that opened November 4. This is the first show in Suffolk by the NYC Winter Lantern Festival which will transform Smithtown into a magical light display featuring flowers, animals, and much more. Grab your tickets here!
And last but not least, NYC’s Winter Lantern Festival is lighting up Queens County Farm for the second time, transforming the beloved site into a radiant oasis as of Friday, November 11. Take in everything from beautiful handmade creations inspired by Chinese myths and legends and theme parks, to illuminated tunnels, swings and much more. Get tickets here.
No matter which you choose (or if you go to all four!), it’s a magical experience for all ages. In addition to the mesmerizing lights and lanterns, there will also be projection mapping, food vendors, and holiday exhibits taking place throughout the season. The events will run through January 8, 2023, except for the “Nassau Drive-Thru Adventure” which will run through January 15.
Also published on Medium.