CARY, N.C. — It’s peaceful, beautiful and spectacular all at the same time. The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival is a magical holiday must-see experience.
More than 2,500 lanterns create 36 all-new displays showcasing the Chinese culture in a multi-cultural experience at the festival in Cary.
The lanterns are handcrafted by Chinese artisans. More than 25 Chinese artisans and performers arrive in North Carolina in early November to assemble lanterns and prepare them for the celebration. It’s produced by Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., in cooperation with the Town of Cary. Only select communities including Seattle, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Little Rock and Orlando also host the Chinese lantern festivals during the holiday season.
The displays vary from dragons to lotus features, to pandas, and sea creatures just to name a few. The Chinese dragon lantern is one of the spectacular features on Symphony Lake. It’s longer than three school buses and is about 200 feet. It stands at 21 feet and weighs 18,000 pounds. It takes a 15-person crew plus a crane to install the lantern feature.
How are the lanterns created?
Each lantern is created by hand on silk fabric stretched over steel frames and then lit with hundreds of LED lights. The lanterns are designed exclusively for the event. The materials are shipped from China into North Carolina ports in Wilmington. Most of the lanterns are made in Zigong which is the lantern capital of China for centuries. It began in the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD).
The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival is a magical must-see experience
About the Chinese tradition
The artisans’ lantern-crafting skills are passed down from one generation to the next. Chinese lantern festivals are celebrated on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar, marking the last day of the lunar New Year. The tradition dates back 2,000 years.
Festival Details
The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival takes place through January 9, 2022 at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. Find out more about tickets at the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival.