![]() The festival includes daily performances of dance, acrobatics, and traditional face-changing - a kind of clowning sleight-of-hand performance wherein the dancer seems to instantly change masks many times. “This time we bring many Chinese elements here, like the dragon, like the drum, and the Temple of Heaven. “When I am here, I think I am at home, because the Chinatown is very near here,” said Liang. ![]() The Philadelphia festival’s proximity to Chinatown makes it stand out among other cities. ![]() The largest lantern at the Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square is the 200-foot-long, 21-foot-high dragon. An ocean theme features prominently at the Philadelphia festival, with an extensive set of lanterns depicting giant, undersea creatures. If you are looking for fun things to do in the Pittsburgh, I would highly (highly, highly) recommend the Asian Lantern Festival to you too, which runs (in 2022) from now until the end of October.The largest lantern at the festival is the iconic, serpentine dragon, which measures 200 feet long and weighs three tons.Ī spokesperson for Tianyu, Lu Liang, said business slowed down significantly during the pandemic, but with interest ramping up again the company is developing new lantern designs. I suppose it helps that everyone in my group was in good spirits and the weather was glorious. Never did I think that I would take so much enjoyment from walking around a zoo at nighttime and looking at a collection of lights. The 2023 Asian Lantern Festival at the Pittsburgh Zoo is themed World of Wonders and celebrates a mix of Asian culture, international wildlife, and the zoo's 125th anniversary all in one experience. I had a beer, ice cream, and a wonderful time. The Asian Lantern Festival is a family-friendly nighttime event that requires a separate ticket from Zoo daytime admission. What to Expect at the Asian Lantern Festival. It’s a cheerful atmosphere with an energetic emcee who is able to coax audience members (exclusively young children and senior citizens, go figure) to join him in his dances on stage in front of the crowd. Set up in front of the space is a small stage where dancing (Bollywood style, I think) is exhibited. The Asian Lantern Festival, though, is an outdoor event, which means that we were not able to see some of the big zoo attractions like the Tropical Forest, which houses the primates, the indoor bird exhibit, or the aquarium.ĭeeper into the zoo, there is an outdoor plaza with concessions and tables. We saw lions, red pandas, and elephants, along with a few other animals. In addition to the parade of lights (the main attraction), one can also see many of the real-life animals that are still vegging in their pens and pastures before the descending sun obscures under the blanket of night. One is even a huge, crouching tyrannosaurus rex, where visitors can walk into the mouth and out through a bright pink, twinkling tunnel to the other side. Curiously enough, there are a number of dinosaur lanterns. ![]() Children would easily take joy in the lights large and small. I overhear a woman saying that she wishes this event had gone on when she was a kid. We walk past a series of cartoon-like, bobbly lanterns that feature all the Chinese New Year mascots (like the rooster, pig, ox, etc.). Although general admission to the zoo is closed, the food stand and gift shops are still open, which (beer in hand) increased my enjoyment of the festivities. The third annual event starts on Friday, Aug. Red Chinese lanterns decorate the entrance and magnificent lights arranged into flowers and animals line the main walking path. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquariums Asian Lantern Festival starts later this week. We ascend to the top of the hill (these escalators are no joke, both long and steep) and step off into an illuminated wonderland. After passing by the ticket counter, a tunnel of colorful Asian-style lanterns light up the path to the escalators. The Pittsburgh Zoo is situated at the foot of a hill. Visitors can reserve tickets in advance to experience the zoo at night and witness a spectacle of lanterns and lights decorated to look like flora and fauna. ( Check out the zoo vlog post here!)īeginning in the late summer, the Pittsburgh Zoo hosts the “Asian Lantern Festival” on certain evenings after general admission to the zoo closes for the day. This zoo outing, however, was not for the purpose of viewing exotic wildlife. Although I’m not a fan of animals, I can find great amusement in zoos (more here). Today, my magical twilight rendezvous takes place at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Glowing, festive lights are set against the dimming evening sky, and I am happy.
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