See thousands of colorful and ornate lanterns light up the night sky when this ancient Chinese tradition returns to the Missouri Botanical Garden for the summer season. The Lantern Festival features 22 all-new sets of lanterns crafted from silk and steel, offering visitors the opportunity to experience an event rarely staged outside of Asia.
Lantern festivals are a central part of Chinese culture dating back thousands of years. Today, lantern festivals traditionally mark the Chinese New Year, when complex and ornate lanterns fill cities. The 22 sets that make up the Lantern Festival: Magic Reimagined are constructed using traditional materials including silk, wire and porcelain. Each set is accompanied by interpretation detailing the design's tradition, symbolism and meaning.
The Lantern Festival: Magic Reimagined is open nightly through August 30 at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets are $26 for adults ($13 for members) and $10 for children ages 3-12 ($5 for member's children). Daytime viewing is included with regular Garden admission.
More information and tickets: mobot.org
Photo courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Photo by John Evans.
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