By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com
The following was first printed in the Jan. 11, 2024 issue of the newspaper:
Photo by Christine Stoddard.
Though the Winter Lantern Festival at the Queens County Farm Museum ended its season on Jan. 7, this illuminated holiday wonder deserves memorializing. At times beautiful, adorable, and even humorous, the Winter Lantern Festival featured more than 1,000 handmade lanterns inspired by the traditional Chinese style. Each lantern was made using Chinese silk, paint, wire, and LEDs. Some of them even moved! More than 150,000 visitors flocked to the attraction for its fourth year. The most impressive lantern, at least in size, was a humongous Chinese dragon that spanned the length of this outdoor feast for the eyes. Meanwhile, the site for the festival is also unique: The Queens County Farm Museum is the largest undisturbed farmland in New York City.
Photo by Christine Stoddard.
If you missed your chance to go to the Winter Lantern Festival this year, hope it returns in December 2024 and maybe be faster about grabbing tickets next time. It’s the premiere Chinese lantern festival in New York City. Though a smaller version has graced the Bronx Zoo, a festival of comparable size is a bit of a hike—in Philadelphia. (And it doesn’t run during the holidays.)
Photo by Christine Stoddard.
