The Shenzhen Lantern Festival is an annual festival running from December to February each year, through winter and into Chinese New Year, ending on lantern day. Although there is no longer a practical need for Chinese lanterns, they are still made, used, and enjoyed by the Chinese people during festivals. The streets both in big cities and small towns are decorated with red lanterns during the Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Lantern Festival.
The Lantern Festival is one of the best days to view Chinese lanterns in action. It is always held on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month. The festival is viewed as the end to the Chinese New Year celebrations and is celebrated with the release of floating and flying lanterns.
The Lantern Exhibition is held at OCT Bay/Harbor and covers a big area and it is an immensely impressive sight to behold. Coming in sizes, shapes, colours and styles of all types, this is like a kaleidoscope for the eyes, with something to see at every turn. The lanterns are built into popular designs and characters such as the Monkey King, kangaroos, astronauts, 5G, zodiac characters and much more.
This place is a photographer’s haven, with bright colours offset by the dark night sky, but it can be difficult to get a good shot with so many people walking around. This is suitable for friends, family or solo and there is something for everyone here. For the children there are lots of additional fun to be had, with rides, and games and interactive things to do. These cost extra and are not included in the ticket price.
There are many food and drink options in this area too for a before or after refreshment, and the area itself is a nice place to walk around and have a look. Usually very quiet on weekdays, this festival is bringing in more people than usual so expect it to be busier, however it is quite spacious and didn’t seem overly busy.
This lantern exhibition is most certainly worth checking out, it is a good option for weekdays or the weekend and only a couple of hours are needed here. So come along and get into the celebration spirit.
Location: Oct harbor 欢乐海岸
Address: No.8, Baishi Road East, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 深圳市南山区白石路东8号
Shenzhen Bay Park metro station (line 9) Exit E
5pm-10.30pm every day
Ends February 23
Ticket: 50 RMB weekday. 70 RMB weekend
Children under 1.2M are free (1 per adult)