GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — For the first time, handcrafted lanterns are coming to John Ball Zoo for the Grand Rapids Lantern Festival later this spring.
The lanterns feature animals, underwater creatures, flowers, traditional Chinese lanterns and more.
This festival which runs from April 19 through June 11 will be the first and only place the lanterns can be seen in Michigan. Over 50 unique lanterns will be showcased to connect Asian culture with wildlife and conservation efforts.
The lanterns are part of Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., which organizes lantern festivals around the world. Over the past eight years, Tianyu Arts & Culture has hosted 86 events, reaching 7 million people.
Darci Napolillo, promotions and events manager with John Ball Zoo, said staff members visited a lantern festival put on by Tianyu Arts & Culture and worked to bring the experience to Grand Rapids. Napolillo said the process took several meetings and consultations with Tianyu.
"So lots of prep, lots of planning," she said. "But now we're excited that the time is actually here and it's all coming together."
The lanterns are customized for each festival location. Napolillo said some are interactive, like a crab that blows bubbles and another with games. There will also be a playground with light-up equipment for kids to enjoy.
Napolillo said Tianyu creates lanterns that complement the exhibits they're near.
"So a lot of the lanterns that they bring on site have a story. And they'll connect them to some of the conservation efforts that John Ball Zoo is doing here on site, as well as how people can get involved," Napolillo said. "And they'll tell the story of Asian culture as well as how it intersects with the wildlife and animals and how you can do your part to save animals in wild places."
Crystal Chen, the on-site coordinator for Tianyu, said she hopes to see high turnout when the festival begins.
"I hope the people, you know, a lot of people come to the zoo with their family like the kids, the parents, the grandparents," said Chen. "I hope that when they see all of the lanterns they feel happiness and you know, the world is colorful."
Chen said the lanterns take between three and six months to create, and are put up about a month before the festival begins.
GR Lantern Festival at John Ball Zoo
Napolillo said there will be cultural performances happening at the zoo on some dates to emphasize Asian culture. The Grand Rapids Lantern Festival runs from April 19 through June 11. To learn more and get your tickets, click here.
You can also win tickets by watching 13 ON YOUR SIDE. Tune into our Morning Show on the week of April 10, we'll be giving away a family four-pack of tickets each morning!
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