Oh no! From November 17th to January 14th 2024, Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre is inhabited by a wild dragon! Luckily, this dragon isn’t dangerous; in fact, is a part of the annual North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, an artistic display of illuminations which takes place in Cary, NC.
The NC Chinese Lantern Festival is a self- guided and walk- through event with a family- friendly vibe. Each year, Chinese artisans are busy handcrafting displays for the event. With 40 new displays being added in 2023, the festival allows for multiple opportunities in terms of public viewing. Open from 6pm- 10pm, visitors can choose between an Any Night Ticket, Twilight Ticket Experience, VIP Tour Experience, and can even download lesson plans for their kids about the history of the lanterns and how they are made.
As one walks through the arch entering the Chinese Lantern Festival, they will experience a long stretch of lighted lanterns with printed color designs. After passing through that stretch, visitors may see a display of a monkey locked in a cauldron, a path full of brightly lighted trees, numerous arches with colored displays of animals, an interactive Ice Dragon that breathes blue fire, moonlight swings, a herd of 1000 year old white deer and much more.
In addition to passive viewing, visitors can also enter a room with mirrors and lights hanging from the ceiling to experience a room twinkling with stars. Many displays also feature a board with a description and history of the specific display, allowing visitors to learn more about where the displays came from right as they’re looking at it.
The 2023 Chinese Lantern Festival features a new interactive playground sponsored by WakeMed, where kids have the opportunity to explore and jump around in a space full of lights and stars.
From inside the heart of the Koka Booth Amphitheatre, visitors might hear a loud noise. Don’t fret, it’s not the wild dragon, but rather a live performance performed every hour of the evening. These performances include martial arts, traditional dances, acrobatics, drum performances, and many other showcases of unique talents. For those looking for a show, these live performances are sure to wow and even contain interactive portions that require audience participation.
The Koka Booth concession stand offers coffee and hot chocolate to keep visitors warm during the chilly nights and numerous food trucks are parked on campus if visitors desire a bite to eat before or after the event.
In all, 2500 lanterns and more than 15000 LED lights made up the 50 distinct displays this year, creating a truly wondrous display of lights. 2023 marks the 8th year of the NC Chinese Lantern Festival, and until January 14, visitors can buy tickets and line up for this show- stopping experience. The community of NC can now walk on a lighted pathway into 2024.
