Every winter, The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Sanford transforms into a magical wonderland. The Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild illuminates the gardens during 38 nights from late November well into late January, drawing crowds from Orlando and other cities.
The Asian Lantern Festival features over 30 hand-made lantern displays on a 3/4-mile path through the Zoo. Illuminated larger-than-life light sculptures depict animals, traditional Chinese characters, and plants. The exhibition is organized by the Zoo together with Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., a company from Zigong, Sichuan, China.
In addition to beautiful LED lanterns, guests can enjoy live music, a crafts fair as well as Asian and American foods and beverages. General admission is $20 per person. The exhibition runs from 6 pm to 10 pm on select nights. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The Asian Lanter Festival is a perfect occasion for a family outing to celebrate Asian art and culture before the start of the annual Lunar New Year festivities!
