Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival

The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival returns for its third year at Franklin Square, the historic park that sits in between historic Old City and Chinatown. The event brings dozens of handcrafted lanterns that light up after the sun sets, such as cute panda bears riding on silky seesaws and a massive, 200-foot dragon that snakes its way across the park. New features this year include a sparkling fairy tree, a collection of endangered species, a walk-through great white shark tunnel and an elephant-centric exhibit that guests can power themselves by pedaling a bicycle. There’s also an itinerary of complementary events, such as Chinese acrobatic performers and handicraft workshops led by Chinese folk artists. The Dragon Beer Garden gives guests a chance to sip on beer, wine and cocktails and munch on Chinese-inspired nibbles as they wander through the display.