CHATTANOOGA, Tenn — The Chattanooga Zoo is ready to flip the switch on one of its most colorful traditions. The Asian Lantern Festival opens Friday night, inviting families to wander the zoo after dark through a glowing trail of silk sculptures, mythical creatures and Christmas favorites.
This year’s theme is Forest of Fantasy, and the zoo says visitors will see hundreds of hand-crafted lanterns reaching as high as 26 feet. Dragons curl around walkways, unicorns and fairies pop up around corners and familiar holiday faces like Santa and his reindeer join the mix.
“We bring an entirely new collection of lanterns to the zoo each year,” said Jake Cash, the zoo’s director of marketing and communications. “This is probably my favorite group so far. The festival is full of holiday magic.”…