The third annual Asian Lantern Festival kicks off Tuesday, November 26, at Chattanooga Zoo.
The Zoo’s winter celebration offers a unique take on holiday lights as visitors tour the Zoo at night and view hundreds of handcrafted lanterns.
This year’s festival boasts an entirely new collection of lanterns featuring a wide variety of dinosaurs and exotic animals from the Amazon Rainforest.
“The Asian Lantern Festival has quickly become a beloved holiday tradition in Chattanooga, and our third annual festival is going to be the best one yet,” said Darde Long, president and CEO of Chattanooga Zoo. “As always, we are bringing an entirely new lineup of immersive and interactive lanterns to the Zoo, and I think people of all ages will be able to feel the magic.”
During the Asian Lantern festival, guests tour Chattanooga Zoo at night, sipping hot chocolate and enjoying over 40 distinct lantern displays that move, change color, emit fog, play music and more. The festival also features interactive games that offer opportunities to touch, stomp, swing and play.
“The festival really showcases the beauty, wonder and artistry of traditional lantern festivals while also offering the community a really fun and unique take on holiday lights,” said Long. “I’m particularly looking forward to the dinosaur lanterns, and the Amazon Rainforest displays feature a large collection of exotic birds, giant pandas, glowing butterflies and other exciting animals and plants.”
Tickets are on sale now at https://www.chattzoo.org/events/alf-2024-2025.
Zoo members may purchase adult tickets for $18.50, and tickets for children ages three through twelve are $13.50. For non-members, adult tickets are $23 and tickets for children are $17. All children two years old and younger are free, but guests are still asked to reserve a ticket for them online.
Chattanooga Zoo is offering special rates to groups of four, and groups of 15 or more receive an even larger discount. Additionally, party packages including a private event space are available for up to 40 guests for holiday parties, birthday parties, family reunions, office outings and more.
- November 26, 2024, through January 19, 2025
- Wednesdays through Sundays
- 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. each evening
The festival is open on Thanksgiving but will not be open on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Santa Claus will visit the Zoo on December 13, 14, 20 and 21, offering free pictures included with general admission.