It’s the Year of the Dragon! This year’s Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square has 18 separate three-dimensional dragons or dragon sculpture lanterns, in addition to more than 918 dragons lining the Palace Lantern Corridor. It took 29,600 hours of labor and more than 100 people to create the lanterns for this year’s Festival; the lanterns were created by stretching silk fabric over steel frames and then lighting them with over 10,000 thousand LED lights.
The festival takes place daily June 20th to August 18th from 6 to 11pm, rain or shine. [EDIT: extended to August 31st!] It is closed on July 4th. It features over 1,200 individual creations, including more than 200 animals!
Lantern displays for 2024:
Dragon and Fish Welcome Gate • Palace Lantern Corridor • Dancing Dragon • Twelve Signs of the Zodiac • Tree of Life • Crane Sanctuary • Red-Crowned Cranes • Magpies • Crane Tunnel • Jiangnan Architecture • Jiangnan Courtyard • Palace of Heaven (stands 40 feet high with a 90-foot-long dragon flying through!) • Nine Sons of the Dragon • Kaleidoscope • Lotus Garden • Wading Birds • Sunflower Savanna • Chinese Dragon • Monkey King • Orangutans • Giant Pandas • Asian Elephants • Rafflesia • Tragulus and Malay Civet • Eurasian Otter and Fishing Cat • Animal Seat • Music Lanterns • Honeycomb • Honeycomb Game • Galahs and Trumpet Vines • Trumpet Vine • Goldfish Gate • Giant Water Lily Walkway • Flamingos • 4 student-designed lanterns, chosen from illustrations submitted by children aged 8-14
Entertainment
Performances, fountain show, folk artists, and more.
- 6, 6:30, and 7pm fountain show
- 7:30pm stage performances
- 8 and 8:30pm fountain show
- 9pm stage performances
- 9:30 and 10pm fountain show
- 10:15pm stage performance
- 10:30pm fountain show
Fountain Show at Franklin Square in the Rendell Family Fountain: music, choreographed lights and water.
Performances include Face-Changing, an ancient Chinese dramatic art where a performer changes masks quicker than the blink of an eye • Artistic Hula Hoop • balancing, rope skipping, juggling, and handstands on a Teeter Board • Chair Hand-Standing • Spacewalk (circling, hand-standing, and walking with the help of aerial ropes and supports) • Body Balancing • Folk Dance
Cultural immersion experiences
These are free with admission and take place in the Franklin Square Pavilion on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings during the Festival.
- 6:30pm Meet the Face Changer: Take photos with a master of the traditional Sichuan art of Face Changing
- 7:15pm Dumpling Workshop with Sang Kee: Hear the history of dumplings and learn how to make these delicate bite-sized treats.
- 8:15pm Folk Dance Lessons: Learn folk dancing from the Lantern Festival performers.
- 9pm Dumpling Workshop with Sang Kee
More to do
- Play Philly Mini Golf and ride the Parx Liberty Carousel at a discounted rate
- Enjoy themed festival foods and drinks, or stick to traditional family favorites
- During the day, participate in a free Lantern Scavenger Hunt and win free tickets to ride the Parx Liberty Carousel (visit the Ticket Booth in Franklin Square for info)
- Visit one of eight award-winning Once Upon A Nation Storytelling Benches, located in Franklin Square
- Storytime in the Square: Every other Wednesday at 11am, June 26th to September 18, join Ms. Chen from the Independence Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia for free storytime and crafts in the Pavilion
- Dog Days of Summer: free doggie-friendly activities on Sunday, July 14th, 12 to 2pm
- National Carousel Day: Buy one ticket and get one free on Thursday, July 25th 10am to 5pm
- Franklin Square 18th Birthday Celebration: free cupcakes, crafts, games, giant bubbles, music, fitness fun, and play for children with YoYo on Saturday, July 20th from 10am to noon
- Free monthly classes: Parenting Skills Class on June 27, July 11 and 25, August 8 and 22 from 10-11am • Yoga in the Square, free for all experience levels on Fridays through August 30th from 10-11am • Franklin Square Tai Chi Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays 7:30 to 8:30am (meets next to the Fountain, or in the Pavilion on chilly or wet days).
During the Festival, Franklin Square is open and free during regular daytime hours; Franklin Square Playground will be fully open and free both daytime and evening hours but accessible only from 7th Street.
You can see the lanterns for free during the daytime (and you can do a free scavenger hunt), but tickets are required after 6 pm with no re-entry.
Tickets
Advance tickets are strongly recommended.
- Monday through Thursday: tickets are $25 for adults, $16 for children ages 3-12 (children 2 and under are free), $23 for youth ages 13-17, seniors, and active military with I.D.
- Friday through Sunday: timed tickets are required and cost $28 for adults, $16 for ages 3-12, $26 for youth, seniors, and active military with I.D.
- Combo tickets that include Franklin Square attractions are available.
- Additional fees apply for online purchase.
Tickets may be rescheduled with 24 hours advance notice. Monday-Thursday tickets reschedule for those days of the week; Friday-Sunday tickets for a different Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. No tickets may be rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice.
Details and tickets: phillychineselanternfestival.com
