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Everything you need to know about the 2023 Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival

The 2023 Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival is back at Franklin Square from June 21 to August 13. Here's what you need to know.

Panda Paradise is one of the attractions at the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square, through Aug. 13.
Panda Paradise is one of the attractions at the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square, through Aug. 13.Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer

It’s the time of the year when dragons and lanterns take over Franklin Square. Between June 21 to Aug. 13, the three-school-bus-long red dragon returns for the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival.

Hours
Tickets
Activities and installations
Food and drink
Public transportation
Parking
Where does the money go?

This year’s edition brings 34 colorful, dynamic displays, including a new sea dragon. Plus, for the first time in four years, Chinese folk artists are returningto show off their crafts and skills.

Looking to attend this celebration of light and culture? Here’s what to expect:

Hours

The 2023 Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival lights up Franklin Square, at Sixth and Race Streets, no matter the weather. It’s open seven days a week from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., June 21 to Aug. 13.

Tickets

The lantern sculptures can be seen for free during the day but once 6 p.m. strikes, you will need a ticket to enter the show.

There are two types of tickets. The Sunday to Thursday passes let you access the festival at any time, while Friday and Saturday tickets are timed.

Last year, 115,000 people attended the festival. Get your tickets in advance on the Historic Philadelphia website or the official event website (phillychineselanternfestival.com), because on-site tickets are limited.

Sunday to Thursday tickets:

  1. Adults: $22

  2. Children (3-12): $14. Kids under 2 are free.

  3. Youth (13-17), seniors (65+), and active military with I.D.: $20

Friday and Saturday tickets:

  1. Adults: $25

  2. Children (3-12): $14. Kids under 2 are free.

  3. Youth (13-17), seniors (65+), and active military with I.D.: $23

If you need to reschedule a previously purchased ticket, do it with at least 24 hours notice. Keep in mind, children under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult and once you enter the festival, there is no reentry.

Activities and installations

In addition to lights and sculptures, the 2023 Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival brings performances, cultural activities, and interactive art, among other things:

  1. Lanterns: This year’s event features 34 installations throughout the park. Get ready to see new lanterns, including an interactive fortune-telling wall, and a 100-foot sea dragon coiled into a tunnel. But, worry not, the festival’s traditional 200-foot-long Chinese dragon, cherry blossom forests, pandas, mythical creatures, leopards, armadillo, and chameleon will also be returning.

  2. Entertainment: Every night, between 6 to 10:35 p.m., folks can enjoy different live performances. Artists from China will present shows such as jar juggling, where artists juggle porcelain jars and spin objects while laying down with their feet in the air. Or, Kung Fu Tea, an art performance that uses a long-stem teapot and music to create a tea ceremony. During show intermission, check out the 30-minute water-light shows at the Rendell Family Fountain.

  3. Folk Artists: At the Dragon Beer Garden, Chinese artists Yu Xia, Yinuo Hu, and Shaojia Fang will create braided aluminum art, inner-bottle paintings, and lantern paintings.

  4. Cultural activities: This year, folks can partake in cultural activities at Franklin Square Pavilion on Friday and Saturday nights. Around 6:30 p.m., take photos and get to know the artist behind the face-changing performance. At 7:15 or 9 p.m., learn to make dumplings while learning the cultural meaning of this food. Or, take folk dance lessons at 8:15 p.m.

  5. Park activities: At Franklin Square, you can play mini golf ($12) and hop on the carousel ($3) while you wait for a performance to begin.

This map of the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival can help you find the lantern displays, food spots, and restrooms.
This map of the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival can help you find the lantern displays, food spots, and restrooms.Read moreCourtesy of the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival

Food and drink

If you get hungry during the festival, here is where to get a bite:

  1. Sang Kee: Located near the Chrysanthemum Corridor, you can find dan dan noodles, fried shrimp wonton, vegan beef, smoothies, and other food and beverages.

  2. Oishii: Located in the Dragon Beer Garden, Oishii has salads, baos, spring rolls, and a variety of meat and vegetarian platters. They have you covered if you want to try rice balls or mochi ice cream.

  3. SquareBurger: For folks that prefer burgers, grilled cheese, hot dogs, and cheesesteaks, SquareBurger has it. If you eat here, check out the vanilla fortune cookie shake.

  4. For people over 21, the Dragon Beer Garden offers cocktails, mocktails, wine, hard seltzer, and beer. Located by Cescaphe, this garden closes at 10 p.m.

Public transportation

SEPTA bus routes 17, 33, and 48 can get you close to the park grounds. If you prefer to take the subway, the Broad Street line’s Chinatown stop leaves you within a 4-minute walk. Market Frankford Fifth Street Station stop also gets you close, but you will need to walk for about 7 minutes.

Parking

On-street parking is limited. Check PPA Auto Park at Independence Mall or the National Constitution Center.

Where does the money go?

Part of the proceeds goes to the nonprofit Historic Philadelphia, which operates Franklin Square, for maintenance and funding free events for the community.