Chinese lantern festival Illuminights returns to Zoo Atlanta

ATLANTA - When Zoo Atlanta unveiled Illuminights at the Zoo: A Chinese Lantern Festival last year, staffers told us they hoped it would become a new holiday tradition for local families.

And now that Illuminights is back for a second year, it looks like the team is well on its way toward making that dream a reality.

This morning, we made a return visit to Zoo Atlanta to check out the stunning Chinese lantern display, which features more than 80 hand-made lanterns spread throughout the 40-acre property. When we chatted with Jennifer Smith — the zoo’s VP of Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives — last year, she told us more about the gorgeous glowing lanterns. 

"We partnered with a company called Hanart Culture. They’re a Chinese company who actually hand makes all of these lanterns," said Smith. "They are all steel frame, covered in silk, and then hand-painted and airbrushed and brought to us from there."

Smith says the lanterns are all lit using LED lights, which aligns with the zoo’s message of conservation and mission to be environmentally friendly.

This year’s Illuminights at the Zoo: A Chinese Lantern Festival opens to the public Monday, Nov. 21 and runs through Jan. 15; hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. General admission tickets start at $20.99 for adults and $17.99 for children ages 3 to 11. For more information tickets and times, click here.

And for a look at some of this year’s stunning lanterns, click the video player in this article!