Get ready to be awed—an elaborate display of enormous lanterns is coming to Staten Island (and Queens…and Long Island) starting this month!
That’s right, NYC’s magnificent Winter Lantern Festival is returning after last year’s COVID-19 hiatus with three different events that will 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. And, every single lantern is entirely handmade, formed with thin wire, brightly colored silk or gauze, and lit by LEDs for the most magical creations — ranging in size from massive structures you can walk through to a garden of light-up tulips!
The first festival to begin will be NYC Winter Lantern Festival’s first visually immersive drive-thru experience! Located at the Nassau County Museum of Art on Long Island, “A Bug’s Night” will dazzle your friends and family as you roll through over 20 acres of vivid lanterns and holiday lights. Buy tickets here.
Next, starting Friday, October 29 head to Staten Island’s beautiful Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens to see 1,000 lanterns on display, sculpted into magnificent figures. Witness eight acres of luminous creations, plus a live DJ, food vendors and interactive displays — plus you even get to bring your own wish lantern home!
And don’t miss the gorgeous, glittering 300-foot-long Starry Alley at the Staten Island festival. Grab tickets to this one here.
Then starting on Thursday, November 25, NYC’s Winter Lantern Festival will light up Queens County Farm for the first time, transforming the beloved site into a radiant oasis. Take in everything from beautiful handmade creations in the shape of flowers, tractors and farm animals, to food vendors, interactive displays and a gift shop. Get tickets here
No matter which you choose (or if you go to all three!), 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. All three events will run until January 9th, 2022.
You can already grab your tickets to all three of the enchanting Winter Lantern Festival events, here!
Also published on Medium.