Tianyu lantern festivals:

Family friendly fun

Tianyu Arts & Culture’s Lantern Festivals give families a great option when looking for an engaging experience that caters to all ages. Not only do the festivals educate guests about traditional Chinese and Asian culture, but the events also provide a safe environment where parents have to worry less about the safety of their children and more about taking in all of the beautiful displays surrounding them. The festivals also provide educational opportunities for children and adults alike. Our lantern festivals harbor many themes, such as Chinese culture, sustainability, and the conservation of rare and endangered animals.  

Conservation and sustainability are integral components of our corporate mission. We partner with many zoos, botanical gardens, and natural science institutions and collaborate to create a themed, educational experience engaging for all ages. These themes reflect Tianyu’s mission of creating a sustainable world and protecting the animals within it. LED lights cut down on energy consumed, and recycling the lanterns reduces the waste that our festivals produce.    

The ocean theme that was seen in a portion of the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival this year featured an oceanic theme, displaying a giant whale, a bubble-blowing crab, and an array of sea animals. Kids loved dancing with the bubbles, watching the animated sea turtles swim, and staring into the teeth-filled mouth of the Dagger-Toothed Pike.  

Traditional Chinese performances such as the peacock dancer, face changer, and diabolo give parents the chance to broaden their children’s cultural knowledge without feeling like they’re in a classroom. The Peacock Dance stems from a thousand-year-old story about the Dai ethnic group seeing a beautiful peacock dancing on the riverside and imitating its dance. These performances won’t be seen anywhere else and can open a child’s eyes to an entirely new region of the world. Couple that with the delicious traditional Asian cuisine offered at most festivals and children will be inspired by Asian culture in no time.   

Interactive experiences at the festivals give parents the chance to let their children have their own adventures within the festival. Playgrounds and piano tiles that make noise when you step on them allow children to do exactly what they want to do when they walk in: touch the displays. While parents are still heavily encouraged to watch their children, they can be assured that these interactive displays will hold their young one’s attention.  

Tianyu Art’s and Culture’s Lantern Festivals offer great opportunities to experience culture, creativity, and community as a family. After attending, families will be left asking only one thing: When will the lantern festival be back?