The Columbus Zoo Lantern Festival is an amazing experience. Learn more about it here.
The Columbus Zoo Lantern Festival is back and brighter than ever! Running from July 31 through October 5th, the Columbus Zoo comes alive at night filled with stunning lanterns that take over the entire zoo. From mythical creatures like the beautiful rising Phoenix to zebras and giraffes, you can see the thought and detail put into every lantern creation.
This event is perfect for people of all ages and is the perfect family friendly event, date night idea, or if you want to go with your bestie and take all the photos (there are so many photo ops). I took my two kids, my 11-year-old daughter and my almost three-year-old son (kids under three are free), and we were all completely amazed.
If you’ve been to the Columbus Zoo you know how busy it can get so I was a little worried when we arrived at 8pm but the crowd was much smaller and I was able to find great parking making entry easy even with a stroller and todder.
The best part was as soon as we walked in, we caught a live performance with a dancing dragon. It was vibrant, full of energy, and one of those moments where you glance at your kids’ faces and know the night is going to be something special.
Glowing Lanterns at the Columbus Zoo
Walking into the Columbus Zoo Lantern festival, the first thing you notice is the incredible light displays. Every path glows with oversized lanterns, from mythical creatures to zebras to whimsical tunnels you can walk through. Around the lake is where the magic really hits. In the center sits an enormous dragon that breathes real smoke, and with the reflection on the water, it looked like it was floating. My kids were so captivated we looped back a second time just to watch it again…