The Chinese Lantern Festival is a popular staple in North Carolina and has been since it first opened in 2015. The festival takes place at Kokabooth Amphitheater located in Cary, NC. It stays open from November, 15th to January, 11th, and is open every day from 6pm to 10pm, except for Christmas Day.

The Festival consists of large scale handcrafted silk lanterns with thousands of LED lights, themed around Chinese traditions and tales. There are also nightly cultural performances such as acrobatics, martial arts, and a series of different dances. There is also a wide variety of food options.

Lauren Eklund attended the festival this past weekend with her family.

“There were a very large number of light up lanterns. It was really cool seeing the different traditions,” She described, “For example, seeing the dragon lanterns and getting to learn the history and significance of the dragon in their culture.”

The Chinese Lantern Festival is not only a seasonal event but an effort to promote an ancient culture to a larger group of people through this festive activity. The festival was created as a unique opportunity for North Carolinian community members to experience the culture of China, and it has become a great wintertime destination for families. The festival features beautiful art, great music, a variety of food options, and has historically been considered a winter staple and a must do activity.