For a third consecutive winter, Lerner Town Square at Tysons II (8025 Galleria Drive) will be illuminated by a thousand handmade Chinese lanterns.
The Winter Lantern Festival will return to Tysons for an over-two-month run, starting next Thursday, Oct. 31 until Jan. 12, 2025. The event will be open to visitors from 5-9:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays.
Organized by Kaleido Arts & Entertainment Group, a company that promotes cross-cultural events and exhibitions, the festival features elaborate light displays that evoke Chinese myths, legends, scenery and animals.
“Each artisan-made lantern is made of hand painted silk cloth draped over a frame filled with LED lights and will mesmerize attendees as they traverse through the photo-worthy journey,” a press release says. “Attractions will include a bounce house, sugar paintings, dino ride, interactive light swings, see-saws, tunnels, and many majestic creatures.”
Started in New York City, the festival made its debut in the D.C. area during the winter of 2022. It returned to Tysons last year for a stay that lasted from Nov. 24, 2023 to this past Feb. 18.
The theme of this year’s lantern festival is “pandas” — an intentional nod to Bao Li and Qing Bao’s recent move to the National Zoo in D.C., a festival public relations representative confirmed. As a new bonus, the event will include live performances by the Zigong Acrobatic Troupe as well as food, drinks and gifts.
“We’re thrilled to bring back the Winter Lantern Festival in 2024,” Kaleido CEO Xiao Tian Falig said in a statement. “Since we started in New York in 2018, demand has skyrocketed, and we’ve been able to expand to new cities year after year. It’s been a pleasure to work with our artists again and again to celebrate culture, family and the holidays and we look forward to an even bigger and better 2024.”
According to the press release, the Winter Lantern Festival draws more than 150,000 guests annually, regularly selling out its runs in D.C., New York City and Atlanta, Georgia. It will also make stops in Connecticut, Florida and Illinois this year.
Tickets for the Tysons festival are now on sale, starting at $16.99 for children aged 4 to 12 and $26.99 for adults. Toddlers 3 and under can get in for free, and discounted tickets are available for $21.99 for students, military service members and adults over 65.
The walk through the lanterns takes about 45 minutes to complete, per the ticket page.
