Picture This

You step through the gates as twilight melts into darkness. Ahead, a path winds between trees – but these aren’t ordinary pines. They glow. They pulse. They tell stories whispered across oceans and centuries.

Then you see it – a dragon. Not just any dragon. A 200-foot crimson serpent floating impossibly across Symphony Lake, its scales shimmering with around 600,000 LED lights and its head raised 21 feet into the winter sky. It took a crane and 15 people just to install the head. It weighs as much as a small house.

Welcome to the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, where 2,000-year-old tradition meets cutting edge artistry. This isn’t just a local event. Only six communities nationwide host Tianyu Arts & Culture festivals – Seattle, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Orlando and right here in Cary. North Carolina is in extraordinary company. Located at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary and running November 15, 2025 – January 11, 2026, this event promises to dazzle with brilliant displays.

Chinese artisans are crafting more than 40 new displays for this milestone celebration, each composed of hundreds of parts and thousands of LED lights. Every lantern is created exclusively for this event – silk stretched over steel frames, handpainted in intricate detail, then illuminated from within by LEDs that turn metal and fabric into breathing art.

Materials ship from China through NC ports in Wilmington, requiring 15+ tractor-trailers just to deliver supplies. Twenty-five artisans spend weeks onsite assembling 36 lantern groupings that transform Booth Amphitheatre into another world entirely.

This is a spectacular adventure. Most visitors spend about an hour walking through the displays, but rush nothing. Every turn reveals something extraordinary:

• Tunnels of light where lanterns arch overhead.
• Creatures from mythology brought to glowing life.
• Cultural scenes depicting ancient stories and modern marvels.
• The iconic lake dragon that photographs can’t quite capture.

Cultural Performances That Amaze

Nightly stage shows at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. feature traditional Chinese martial arts, dance, acrobatics and drum performances. These aren’t background entertainment – they’re showstoppers performed by the same artisans who build the lanterns.

Crispy spring rolls, sweet and sour chicken bites, wonton soup, coffee, beer, wine and hot chocolate (with optional Bailey’s for adults) warm you between displays with the flavors of fall festivals. Food trucks and vendors dot the amphitheater grounds.

Want fewer crowds and the magic of watching lanterns ignite against dusk? Book a Twilight Ticket for early entry 90 minutes before standard opening. Visitors rave about experiencing the transformation from natural light to illuminated wonder – and getting the best photos before peak crowds arrive.

Festival Details

• When: November 15, 2025 – January 11, 2026
• Hours: 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. daily (closed Christmas Day)
• Location: Koka Booth Amphitheatre, 8003 Regency Parkway, Cary, NC 27518
• Getting There: Take the train! NC By Train offers 10 round trips daily between Charlotte and Raleigh with seven stops between.
• Parking: Approximately 1,500 free spaces in amphitheater-owned lots. Preferred parking available for $10 advance/$15 day-of.
• Special Accessibility Night: December 2nd features a sensory-friendly experience with lower decibel music, no strobe or flashing lights, and a designated Quiet Area.

“Any Night” tickets offer maximum flexibility at $27 (July 1–5), $32 (July 6–November 14), or $37 (November 15–January 11). Date-specific tickets save money if you know your definite visit date, and children ages two and under enter free.

Quick Essentials

• Self-guided walking tour (wheelchair accessible)
• Plan for 1+ hours
• Dress warmly – it’s outdoors
• No pets (service animals welcome)
• Free lesson plans available for educators (grades K-5)
• Follow @NCChineseLanternFestival on social media

Last year visitors came from all 50 states and six countries. Twenty-three nights sold out completely. However, numbers don’t capture the moment a child sees a 200-foot dragon floating on water. They don’t describe the way silk glows when lit from within or how traditional Chinese culture bridges 2,000 years in a single lantern. They cannot explain why families return year after year, making this their annual holiday tradition.

This December, step into a world where art floats on water and stories glow in the dark. Where ancient tradition meets modern wonder. Where North Carolina welcomes Chinese artistry in a celebration that has become our own cherished tradition. You can purchase tickets now at boothamphitheatre.com or call 919.462.2025 for more information.