After the animals go to sleep, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo comes alive in a different way with a bright, expansive light show in the summer months. The eighth edition of the Asian Lantern Festival returns to the park on July 5, and continues through Aug. 24.
The festival features illuminating lantern displays, live acrobatic performances and culturally inspired cuisine and shopping. Beyond all the fun, the festival helps promote wildlife conservation and Asian culture.
The Asian Lantern Festival is a Cleveland fan favorite. It’s brought in more than a million visitors since starting in 2018, and last year, nearly half of the festivalgoers had not visited the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in over a year, according to Kelly Manderfield, Cleveland Metroparks’ chief marketing officer.
The festival involves nearly year-round planning, and set up for this year's festival began in May. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo partners with Tianyu Arts & Culture, which also puts together festivals in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Denver and Boston, according to its website. The organization's artisans hand-fabricate the lanterns onsite, highlighting the ancient tradition of lantern making. The lanterns are installed throughout the zoo by the zoo with help from the Tianyu Arts & Culture artisans.
“The Asian Lantern Festival has welcomed over one million guests and has become one of Northeast Ohio’s favorite summer traditions,” Manderfield says. “Thanks to the incredible support of our community partners, we’re excited to unveil all-new lanterns and unforgettable experiences that will delight both first-time visitors and returning fans alike.”
This year, the festival will incorporate the zoo's newest attraction, Dragons Landing, into the festival fun. A dozen illuminated dragons will be featured and it includes a can’t-miss 100-foot-long ‘ice and fire’ dragon display.
Outside of mythical beings, themed areas include Animals of the Nile botanical gardens, ocean creatures and other interactive, colorful sights. Guests can also walk through tunnels, a four-story-tall hydrangea and a butterfly tree.
Beyond the walk-through experience (Thursdays-Sundays, 6:30-10:30 p.m.), guests can also drive through the experience on select nights. On July 22 at 8:30 p.m., the nighttime Lantern 5K race returns.
Tickets ($23-$26) are available through Cleveland Metroparks’ website. Find more details at clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo.
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