Asian Lantern Festival at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Take a daytrip or overnight to Cleveland to check out the Asian Lantern Festival presented by Cleveland Clinic Children’s at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. This unique and safe festival is held through Sunday, September 20, and features a full walk-through event as well as a drive-through option on select nights.

Kyle Lanzer/Cleveland Metroparks

Note: this event is at the Cleveland MetroParks Zoo, NOT the Columbus Zoo. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is about 2 hours from Columbus.

The Asian Lantern Festival runs from 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm select nights, and features more than 70 never-before-seen, large-scaled illuminated displays. You’ll also enjoy live performances on the Fifth Third Bank Stage and a new interactive zone. Over 1,000 lanterns are placed across several destinations of the Zoo including the Welcome Plaza, African Savanna, Wilderness Trek, Asian Highlands, Waterfowl Lake and more.

Most areas of the Zoo will be open. While some animals will be out and about (such as nocturnal animals), many will naturally be less visible as they return to their sleeping areas. The Asian Lantern Festival will not include any part of Australian Adventure or Primate, Cat & Aquatic area; all buildings will remain closed.

Food options will be includes a variety of Asian food and beverage, including local favorites Li Wah and King Wah. Some of the Zoo’s regular concessions, such as Kiko’s Kitchen, and Pizza Hut will also be available for purchase. A variety of alcohol, including specialty Asian alcohol, will be sold throughout the event as well.

Kyle Lanzer/Cleveland Metroparks

Tickets for Asian Lantern Festival Walk Through Event

Advance tickets are $18 each for zoo members and $20 each for non-members. Children under 2 are admitted for free. Advance four-pack of tickets is $54 for Cleveland Metroparks members and $60 for non-members. Advance tickets are on sale now at FutureForWildlife.org/lanterns. Tickets can be purchased at the box office if they aren’t sold out, and are $22 per ticket for both members and non-members and $66 for four tickets.

Regular Zoo admission does not provide entry to Asian Lantern Festival. If you wish to visit the Zoo to see the animals during the day, you will need to purchase a separate Zoo ticket.

To make the event safe, tickets for the event are limited each night and are selling out! Purchase your tickets in advance if you plan to go!

Additional safety measures include a one-way path through the event, handwashing stations, and frequent sanitation around the Zoo. Guests are required to wear facial coverings during their visit. Facial coverings are not required for children under 6 years of age, or any individual who cannot wear a face covering because of a medical condition, mental health condition or developmental disability, or who is unable to remove the face covering without assistance, and any individual who should not wear face coverings under the CDC guidance.

Kyle Lanzer/Cleveland Metroparks

Details and tickets for Asian Lantern Festival Drive Through Event

Prefer to stay in your car? The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo offers a Drive-Through experience for the Asian Lantern Festival on select nights. The drive-through experience is available from 7 pm – 11 pm on select nights when the walk-through experience is closed.

Guests must stay in their cars for the entire experience, except in designated safety zones or in an emergency. Vehicle size limited to 20 feet in length, and 6 ½ feet width (no buses, limos, etc)

The average drive-through experience lasts 30-45 minutes, and includes Asian Lantern Festival and Dinosaurs Around the World.

Cost is $54 per car for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo members and $60 per car for non-members. Tickets may sell out, so purchase now!

See full details and restrictions of the drive-through experience here.

Dinosaurs Around the World

As part of admission, guests will also enjoy the new Dinosaurs Around the World: The Great Outdoors exhibition. Nearly two dozen gigantic dinosaurs come to life at night along Waterfowl Lake. The new exhibition is supported by Cleveland Clinic Children’s and produced by Imagine Exhibitions.