The Chattanooga Zoo has announced this year’s themes for its annual winter celebration, the Asian Lantern Festival.
The festival will feature hundreds of hand-crafted lanterns displaying a variety of dinosaurs and wildlife 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.
Santa Claus will visit the Zoo on December 13, 14, 20 and 21, offering free pictures included with general admission. Other special entertainment and cultural performances will be announced soon.
“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.”
The Asian Lantern Festival kicks off on November 26 and will be open Wednesday through Sunday nights from 5:30-9:30 p.m. until its last day on January 19. The festival will be open on Thanksgiving Day, although the Zoo will be closed during normal business hours, and the festival will not take place on Christmas or New Year’s Day.
Tickets are on sale now at chattzoo.org. 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.
Chattanooga Zoo is offering discounted tickets to groups of four, and groups of 15 or more receive an even larger discount. Additionally, party packages are available for up to 40 guests for holiday parties, birthday parties, family reunions, office outings and more.
The Asian Lantern Festival will also feature exclusive gift shop and Wild Burger menu items.
Visit chattzoo.org/events/alf-2024-2025 to learn more, purchase tickets and book holiday parties.
