For years I have looked at so many beautiful pictures of lantern festivals all over Asia and wished that I could go to them each and every year. All of the colors that light up the night sky has always seemed magical and oh, so enchanting. So, I was very excited when the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens announced that they would be doing a Chinese Lantern Festival this year.
The event opened on September 7th, and we were able to visit on the very first weekend that it was open. Hundreds of lanterns are featured through the garden making this one of the largest exhibitions that has been at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens since it opened. The lantern are made my Master Crafstmen from Zigong, China.
You can see beautiful butterflies and birds hanging from the trees, dolphins and hippos down the main path. A collection of white elephants ‘hidden’ from view until you walk through the tall hedges.
Since we arrived hours before sunset, we walked through the garden twice, snapping pictures along the way to make sure we captured all of our favorite lanterns throughout the garden.
Once the sun finally set, it was time to head back into the garden and see the lanterns in a whole new ‘light.’
Each evening there is a Kung Fu and Martial Arts Show, that is definitely worth checking out as well as a folk art and craft marketplace. Plus if you haven’t had dinner, there are food trucks, free popcorn and sweets to be enjoyed as you walk through the gardens.
The Chinese Lantern Festival will be open now through October 29th and can be seen Wednesday-Sunday from 5:30p to 9:30p. Tickets run $21.95 for adults and $14.95 for children and I definitely recommend it for a family night out as there are all sorts of treats for children to enjoy.
Wow! That looks amazing. I cannot imagine how many hours it took that designer to create all of this. Mind boggling! Definitely sounds like something worth checking out.