Holiday Tradition: 5th Annual Chinese Lantern Festival

The 5th annual N.C. Chinese Lantern Festival returns to Cary on November 22, 2019 and runs for seven weeks thru January 12, 2020. The festival has become a holiday tradition in Cary, NC as the Booth Amphitheatre transforms into a spectacular setting of holiday lights, lanterns, and cultural performances.

panda at chinese lantern festival koka booth

This year’s Festival will. include all-new lanterns, each one comprised of hundreds of parts, and thousands of LED lights. The 5th annual Chinese Lantern Festival also returns with some surprises including an all-new giant lantern on Symphony Lake to replace the beloved dragon.

The kids are always mesmerized by the larger-than-life lanterns. The colorful lights and a walk through the Festival beats any other Christmas displays we may see throughout the season. There are some great photo opportunities available at the Festival so prep your cameras!

chinese lantern festival cary nc american bison

The amazing craftsmanship, cultural significance and artistic beauty are all in full display at the Festival. It usually takes an hour to walk through the displays and we always leave time for the Chinese drumming, juggling, face-changing, dance, acrobats, martial arts, and contortion acts on the Main Stage. There is limited seating on the Crescent Deck if you want to sit back and take it all in with one of the holiday beverages or snacks available for sale but otherwise, plan to stand and walk.

We love that Booth Amphitheatre brings China to us every year through this shared, vibrant arts and cultural experience. It’s a great family-friendly tradition that all ages will enjoy. Tickets make great gifts this holiday season. We’ll be using them as stocking stuffers…Shhhhhhhh.