NYC Lantern Festival Returns This Holiday Season

Queens, Nassau County, Suffolk County and Staten Island will host Chinese-inspired vibrant winter lantern installations, all with different themes and experiences

By Barbara Russo October 7, 2022

The NYC Winter Lantern Festival returns to the New York City area for the 2022 holiday season starting in October and is adding new locations this year. The festival will be at the Queens County Farm Museum, SIUH Community Park in Staten Island, Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn, and Smithtown Historical Society in Suffolk County.

Created by Kaleido Arts & Entertainment Group, the dazzling event will open throughout the fall on various dates based on location, featuring a total of over 10,000 of LED Chinese-inspired artisan lanterns, along with live performances at select locations and on-site food vendors.

“Lantern festivals have been a part of Chinese culture and history for thousands of years, honoring our ancestors and celebrating peace, prosperity, and good fortune,” said Haokun Liu, Partner of Kaleido Arts & Entertainment Group. “We are thrilled to bring back the NYC Winter Lantern Festival, now in its fourth year, expand to new locations, introduce all visitors to the beauty of these artisan installations, and have the show become part of New York’s cultural holiday tradition.”

NYC Winter Lantern Festival Locations

Each location will have its own colorful and brilliant theme and lanterns:

Nassau Drive-Thru Adventure: This drive-through adventure at the Nassau County Museum of Art located at 1 Museum Drive in Roslyn will feature illuminated tunnels and Chinese lanterns inspired by outer space. Visitors will move between planets, rockets, astronauts and more. From Nov. 3 to Jan. 15, hours are Thursday to Sunday 5-9pm. From Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, hours are daily from 5-9pm. $50 plus tax per vehicle.
Suffolk Winter Lantern Festival: Located at the Smithtown Historical Society, 239 East Main St. in Smithtown, this is the first show in the county by the NYC Winter Lantern Festival. It will transform Smithtown into a magical light display featuring flowers, animals and so much more. From Nov. 4 to Jan. 8, hours are Friday to Sunday, 5:30-9:30pm. $22 plus tax for adults and $12 plus tax for kids.

Illuminate the Farm: The festival will turn the Queens County Farm Museum, located at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway in Glen Oaks, into a dazzling display of lights and illuminated Chinese lanterns. Visitors will enjoy a luminescent display inspired by theme parks and Chinese myths and legends, along with illuminated tunnels, rideable swings and more. From Nov. 11-Jan. 8, Friday-Sunday, 5-9pm. From Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, hours are daily from 5-9pm. $26.99 plus tax for adults and $17.99 plus tax for kids.

The NYC Winter Lantern festival will also be at SIUH Community Park, 75 Richmond Terr., Staten Island. The festival, which will have a theme called “Journey to the East,” runs Oct. 21 through Jan. 8, Fridays to Sundays 5-9:30pm. It will also be open daily, Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, 5-9:30pm.

Tickets for all locations are on sale now. For a limited time, 30% off is available now until Nov. 11 with the promo “EARLYP.”

For more information, visit nycwinterlanternfestival.com or follow the festival on Facebook or Instagram.

Main image: Kaleido Arts & Entertainment Group