Silk lanterns turn a Glen Oaks farm into a holiday night walk from Nov. 19
The Winter Lantern Festival lights up Queens County Farm from Nov. 19 through Jan. 3. Admission begins at $18, and kids younger than 3 get in at no charge.
Queens County Farm in Glen Oaks will glow after dark this season as the Winter Lantern Festival returns with hundreds of lanterns made by hand. Opening night is Thursday, Nov. 19, and the event wraps up Jan. 3.
Winter Lantern Festival Queens dates and hours
Through Dec. 17, the gates are open four nights a week, Thursday to Sunday, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The festival then switches to a seven-day schedule that lasts until Jan. 3. Last entry is one hour before closing, so visitors should arrive at the time on their ticket, according to the Winter Lantern Festival.
The cheapest admission is $18. Kids younger than 3 get in at no charge. Only a set number of visitors can enter each hour, so organizers suggest booking ahead. Tickets and details are at WinterLanternFestival.com. The festival says free parking will be available on site, according to the Winter Lantern Festival.
What to see at the lantern festival
Each piece is made by hand from small pieces of Chinese silk and steel wire, and modern LED lights make them shine. Some designs depict scenes from nature, while others retell Chinese legends and lore. Kaleido Arts and Entertainment produces the outdoor walk, which also offers food, shopping and live performances for families, couples and anyone who enjoys the holidays.
Travis Noyes, Kaleido’s chief marketing officer, said the goal was an outing the whole family can enjoy, one that brings “something never-before-seen to the city.” David Hughs, executive director of the Queens County Farm Museum, said the event fits the museum’s mission of celebrating the borough’s history and diversity.
The Glen Oaks show belongs to a wider series of lantern festivals running across the country. This season, the series also stops in Jamestown, Virginia, and on Staten Island, where the cultural center and botanical garden at Snug Harbor hosts its own edition.
What it means for you
Pets are not allowed at the festival, though service animals are welcome, the Winter Lantern Festival says. Photographers should know that professional equipment and tripods are not allowed at the festival, according to the Winter Lantern Festival.
Quick answers
When is the Winter Lantern Festival in Queens?
It runs from Nov. 19 through Jan. 3 at Queens County Farm, Thursday to Sunday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. until Dec. 17, then every day.
How much are Winter Lantern Festival tickets?
Admission begins at $18, and kids younger than 3 get in at no charge. Booking ahead is recommended because entry is limited each hour.
