The six-week New Mexico Chinese Lantern Festival is coming to Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., on Oct. 6 bringing with it hundreds of larger-than-life, fully-illuminated, lanterns, as well as Chinese cultural performances and special handicrafts.
For nearly 2,000 years, the Chinese New Year has been celebrated with lanterns and lantern festivals are quickly becoming popular across the country. Similar displays attract thousands in New Orleans, Philadelphia, Columbus, Norfolk, Spokane and more.
In Albuquerque, the festival highlights will include a Chinese dragon of 100 feet long and a pagoda of Chinese palace lantern of three stories high, as well as 25 lantern artisans from Sichuan province in China, who will build and install all the lanterns. Performers from the same area will perform acrobatics, as well as Chinese music and dance.
During the festival, one can also find various traditional Chinese handicraft demonstration programs that are regarded as intangible cultural heritage.
Each lantern is hand-built specifically for Albuquerque by craftsmen from Zigong City from Sichuan Province in China.
Each lantern is made from silk stretched over a welded steel frame.
Lantern festivals are generally celebrated on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, which marks the return of spring.
Performances include: Contortion, face changing, plate spinning, Uygur dance, Mongolian dance, Tibetan dance.
Handicraft Programs include: Inner painting, Chinese knots weaving, dough modeling.
Festival Dates: Oct. 6 to Nov. 12, from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Opening Gala: Oct. 4
Ticket Booth Hours: 5 to 9 p.m.
Online Sales: begin Aug. 18
Nightly Performances:
6:30 and 8 p.m., Sunday to Thursday
6:30, 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday
Prices:
VIP Tickets: $25, which include an audio guide, souvenir gift, VIP seating for nightly performances, and a backstage tour.
Adult tickets: $15
Children ages 6 to 18: $12
Senior tickets: $12 (65 plus)
Military Ticket with ID: $12
Children 5 and younger, free
Family 4 pack (for 2 adults and 2 children only): $40
Group Tickets: For 15 or more people, $12 per person or $10 each for children and seniors
Discount Tickets:
$3 discount coupons are available by visiting the New Mexico Chinese Lantern Festival exhibition at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
From Oct. 22 to 29, APS students will be receiving Buy 1 Get 1 free passes.
Veterans and active military personnel on Nov. 10 will get a ½ price discount on Nov. 10 with valid ID.
Colleague Student Discount ticket every Monday at $12 (with Student ID) vbdf
Sponsorhips:
Sponsorships are available. Packages can include tickets, naming rights, signage and more. Contact Dan Mayfield, Media Director, Carroll Strategies for more information at 505-842-6600 or at DM@carrollstrategies.net.