I’ve already shared a look at the Animals Aglow lantern festival at the St. Louis Zoo; now I’m sharing one of my favorite details of any lantern festival…seeing how the lanterns change with the changing light!
I learned from the lantern festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden almost ten years ago that there’s a beauty in seeing the structures while the sun is still up, and then looking at them again in the dark, and it’s still true. You notice different details as the light changes, and each is beautiful in its own way!
It’s already been two weeks since we’ve been to the Animals Aglow Lantern Festival at the St. Louis Zoo, and it was such an amazing experience…I’m really excited to share some of the pictures I took of the amazing displays!
As the name suggests, most of the lanterns are, of course, animals. We walked two laps through the displays, and it was really cool to see them before the sun set, and then as it got really dark, as well.
There are also quite a few insects:
The centerpiece of the event is the dragon, which is a tunnel and also set off “smoke” periodically:
There was also a “Year of the Dragon” special at Starbucks while we were there, which had mango, dragonfruit (of course), and matcha foam…it was delicious!
There are a few other walk-through displays, as well…the flowers are especially cool!
And some botanical pieces in addition to the animals and insects:
There is also a really cool rain cloud that you can stand inside:
Another beautiful display is the butterfly tree, which had a ton of movement and shifting colors:
I loved the lanterns that are on the water:
The best example of this, in my opinion, is the swans by the south entrance…the reflections are outstanding!
This was a really fun event, and I’m glad we had the opportunity to see it!
Last night, we went to the “Animals Aglow” lantern festival at the St. Louis Zoo…it was so much fun! Chickadee really loved all the interactive exhibits and photo spots.
It’s almost impossible to describe how beautiful and amazing the lanterns at the Missouri Botanical Garden Lantern Festival are. They’re so detailed and colorful, massive yet delicate, and some of them include changing colors, movement, water, steam, or fire features, plus music playing in the background. It’s an amazing experience to walk through and see them, and you really should go do so. Just in case you can’t make it, though, I’m just going to let the pictures speak for themselves, so you can get a glimpse of each beautiful creation.
Phoenix Reborn
Sun Yatsen Gate
Full Bloom Peonies
Porcelain Elephants: Toward a Better Time
Wetland Wonders
Lotus Girl and the Dragon King
Soaring Dragon Horse
Crane Paradise
Chrysanthemum Pathway
Dandelions and Pandas
Cherry Tree Arches
Double Ninth Festival
Construction of the Great Wall
Flower Fairies
Lantern Way
Porcelain Stupas Pagoda
Birdland
Joyous Greeting
Giant Penjing
Year of the Sheep
Peacock Vase
Now you have an idea of what kind of amazing things you can expect to see at the Lantern Festival. But pictures are no substitute for seeing and experiencing the whole thing for yourself, so please visit the Missouri Botanical Garden one evening this summer!
Today, the children and I visited the Missouri Botanical Garden for the last time before we go back for the Lantern Festival. To my untrained eye, it looks like almost of the displays are done. We also discovered that a few of the lanterns are also fountains, and one even breathes smoke!
I can’t wait to see them lit up night…just one more week!
