The Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild roars into Central Florida Zoo

Beginning this week, one of the best holiday light-up events in Central Florida is returning for another year of illuminated magic at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

The much loved holiday event, Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild, is a Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens tradition, which returns to Central Floria on select nights from November 17, 2023 to January 14, 2024.

The festival features dazzling, larger-than-life handcrafted lanterns illuminated in the night by thousands of LED lights. Situated around the Zoo on a 3/4-mile loop, they delight visitors with an incredible display of color, light and sound celebrating traditional Asian lantern festivals.

Guests can visit https://www.centralfloridazoo.org/lanterns/ for more information.

Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance in order to lock in the best rates and secure preferred dates and times. The event has grown in popularity each year, and nearly every night sold out in 2022.

This year’s event will include all-new lanterns, including a section featuring dinosaur lanterns, so even those who have attended in the past will have a whole new experience.

“We’re thrilled to offer those in Central Florida the opportunity to enjoy this spectacular event for a fourth time. Almost every lantern is new again this year,” said CEO Richard E. Glover, Jr. “This is a cornerstone event for us at the Central Florida Zoo, and it truly is a community event. Collaborating with Publix again makes this year’s event even more special.”

The festival started in 2019 and was not held in 2020. This is the second year Publix will serve as the presenting sponsor.

“It’s exciting to return as the presenting sponsor for the Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens,” said Hannah Herring, Publix media relations manager. “We love being part of this holiday tradition with our customers, associates and the community.”

The festival is presented in partnership with Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc. For more information about the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, visit www.centralfloridazoo.org.

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