March 11
North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival to Illuminate Cary Through 2034
The Town of Cary has extended the festival through the 2033-2034 season following a record-breaking anniversary year.
This season generated more than $11.6 million in direct economic impact and continued to draw visitors from across North Carolina and beyond.
Learn more about the festival on Koka Booth Amphitheatre’s website
Cary, NC — The Town of Cary has extended the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, ensuring the popular annual tradition will continue at Koka Booth Amphitheatre through the 2033-2034 season. Over the past decade, the festival has grown into one of North Carolina’s most visited winter events, drawing hundreds of thousands of guests to the Triangle each holiday season.
The announcement follows the festival’s milestone 10th anniversary, which the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (VisitRaleigh) reported generated $11,661,189 in direct economic impact and more than $528,000 in local tax revenue. More than 249,000 visitors attended this season, including guests from all 50 states and eight countries, with nearly two-thirds of total attendees traveling from outside Wake County.
“For the past decade, the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival has been a shining example of how the arts can bring people together and showcase Cary to visitors from across the country and world,” said Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht. “We’re grateful to our staff and partners whose hard work makes this incredible experience possible and proud to continue sharing it with our community.”
The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival consistently positions Koka Booth Amphitheatre among the top-performing arts and entertainment venues in the country during its winter run. Over the past four seasons, the Town-owned amphitheatre has ranked in the top 10 percent of comparable venues nationwide during festival months, according to independent visitor analysis from Placer.ai. The
amphitheatre also has earned the No. 1 ranking in North Carolina in each of the past two years.
“For many families, the festival has become a yearly tradition,” said Cary Director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources John Collins. “People return year after year to see what’s new and to experience the artistry and cultural storytelling that make the festival so special. Extending this partnership means we can keep building on that tradition and continue bringing something truly unique to Cary each winter.”
The Town will continue its partnership with Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., a global leader in handcrafted lantern installations. Since the festival began in 2015, Tianyu has transformed the amphitheatre and its wooded walking paths into an illuminated showcase of large-scale lantern sculptures — including installations that appear on the waters of adjacent Symphony Lake — along with cultural performances and immersive experiences.
“We greatly value our partnership with the Town of Cary,” said Vice President Ai Luo. “Together we have built an event that celebrates tradition, inspires wonder, and welcomes families from across the state and beyond. We are excited to continue bringing new lanterns, new stories, and new magic to the festival for many years to come.”
The festival runs for eight weeks each year, beginning in November and ending in January.
Primary Contacts
If you have specific questions, visit carync.gov/311, dial 311 anywhere in Cary, (919) 469-4000 outside Town limits, or email 311@carync.gov.
Resources
About Cary, North Carolina
With excellence and innovation at its core, Cary is a thriving community of around 190,000 residents representing more than 60 nationalities, located at the heart of North Carolina’s renowned Research Triangle Park. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 Best Place to Live in North Carolina and No. 5 nationally for 2025-2026, Cary is known for safe neighborhoods, 100+ miles of greenways, environmental stewardship, and its premier sports and cultural venues. For more information, visit carync.gov/about and follow @caryncgov on social media.
About Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc.
Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc. is renowned worldwide for creating entertaining lanterns and light festivals. The company produces these beautiful light displays, festivals, and exhibits in zoos, botanical gardens, fairgrounds, and public spaces in U.S. cities and abroad. Tianyu Arts & Culture is the Chicago-based American subsidiary of international design and manufacturing company Sichuan Tianyu, headquartered in the lantern-making capital of the world, Zigong, China.
About Legends Global
Legends Global is the premier partner to the world’s greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a fully integrated solution of premium services, including feasibility & consulting, owner’s rep, sales, partnerships, venue management, hospitality, merchandise, and content & booking. Through our white-label approach, we keep our partners front and center while leveraging the power of our global network: over 450 venues, 20,000 events, and 165 million guests annually. To learn more, visit us at www.LegendsGlobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.