GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Lantern Festival is back for its fourth year at John Ball Zoo, and this time the theme is Realms of Wonder.
The festival runs April 8 through June 14, 2026, transforming the zoo into a nighttime landscape of giant glowing sculptures inspired by wildlife and Chinese cultural traditions.
Some installations stand nearly 30 feet tall. They’re handmade by master artisans from Tianyu Arts & Culture, a Chinese lantern festival producer, who spend six weeks assembling the displays on-site. Getting everything in place requires more than 25 semi-trucks. The sculptures feature animals, plants and insects crafted using traditional lantern-making techniques…