Lantern Festival Shines a Light on Central Florida Zoo

Orlando boasts an astounding array of seasonal and periodic events, in addition to its marvellous range of theme parks and other attractions.

From Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights to Red, White & Boom at LEGOLAND Florida, there is hardly ever a period when there’s no special event in the offing, and this time of year is just about ‘Peak Festival’ time of the year.

First of all, there are all kinds of Halloween events in full swing, from Disney to Universal and just about everywhere else. There’s also the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot (which continues until November 19), and Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining season (until October 2).

And, once Halloween has passed, most of the region immediately gears up for the Christmas season, with another spectacular array of events and programmes.

It’s an absolutely packed calendar of fun, family-friendly happenings that all add to the wonderful holiday appeal of the Theme Park Capital of the World.

The theme parks might grab most of the headlines, but, in recent years, there’s another attraction that might not have the highest profile just yet, but which offers a real taste of something different and eye-catching, and that’s the magnificent Asian Lantern Festival at Central Florida Zoo.

What is the Asian Lantern Festival?

It made its grand debut as recently as 2019, and became an instant hit with locals for its wildly spectacular style, and is now open to Orlando’s many international visitors as well, with tickets going on sale on October 1.

It runs on select nights from November 18 to January 15 as a separately-ticketed event at the Zoo (very much like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom), and from 6 to 10pm on those nights.

In a nutshell, the Festival is a series of elaborate set-pieces made up of multiple lanterns - lit by more than 25,000 bulbs - that celebrate the culture, art and beauty of traditional lantern festivals that have been celebrated throughout Asia for centuries. Some of the scenes are animated to give things an even more compelling look.

The inaugural event was created in partnership with Tianyu Arts & Culture Inc, an international event design and manufacturing company headquartered in Zigong, China, and installed by programme curator Lu Liang with a team of Chinese artisans.

It makes for a breathtaking series of scenes, spread throughout the Zoo, a scintillating array of eye-catching creativity and fantasy. In addition to the hand-made LED-lit lanterns, the Festival also features local food and beverage options, live music and authentic artisan crafts.

Last year’s highlights were a spellbinding 40ft Chinese dragon, in vivid colours of red, gold and orange and a shimmering collection of butterflies, and the organisers promise even more brilliant imagery this time around.

Where is the Central Florida Zoo?

Good question. This lovely 116-acre, family-focused attraction can be found in the quaint town of Sanford, just 27 miles north of Orlando in Seminole County. It is located on West Seminole Boulevard, almost immediately off Exit 104 of main motorway I-4, hence it is very easy to find.

For non-drivers, Sanford also has a station on the Sunrail commuter train service, and, in 2022, the Zoo arranged for a special shuttle service - the Choo-Choo to the Zoo - directly from the station, so it’s worth checking to see if it is operating during your visit.

The historic downtown area is little more than three miles away and makes for a good half-day’s exploration with its cute shops, cafes, breweries and charming Riverwalk along the southern shore of Lake Monroe.

On a historical note, Sanford was Central Florida’s main gateway in the 19th century, thanks to its situation on the St John’s River, which provided a ready-made steamboat route to the Atlantic at Jacksonville.

There’s a neat little history museum in the downtown that’s worth an hour of your time if you get the chance, and it’s free to enter (Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm)..

Does the Lantern Festival have a theme?

The full title of the event is Asian Lantern Festival: Into The Wild, so the theme is - you guessed it - an animal journey featuring creatures from all over the world, both real and imaginary.

Each year, there are more than 30 different hand-created displays around the Zoo, all spread over a three-quarter-mile pathway and beautifully lit up.

Tickets must be purchased in advance as there is only limited availability on a walk-up basis each night. Oh, and don’t expect to see the Zoo’s animals during the evening. They are all safely tucked away in their night-time habitats for their safety.

And that’s the Festival in all its glory, a unique part of Orlando’s varied and multi-faceted extra entertainment options for the Holiday and Christmas season.

It might seem a bit early to be highlighting an event that only starts on November 18, but we think this will be increasingly popular and, with a limited attendance, may sell out on some nights, so be prepared and buy early!

For more details and tickets, see CentralFloridaZoo.com.

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