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Asian Lantern Festival at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

 


Hello Again 😀, 


As I write this, the Asian Lantern Festival at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is finished for this season. However, I believe it is absolutely worth mentioning in case anyone would like to attend in the future. It's an event that is presented each year by Cleveland Clinic Children's. It is a separate ticketed event after regular zoo hours. They have shows, food, and beverages as well as the beautiful lantern creations. I have attended this event two years so far and I've enjoyed it each time. Every year is a different theme, and the details in the show pieces get more and more creative. Here is the link for future dates for the festival (which aren't listed at this time), but it'll give an idea of prices, hours and what they have going on during the event.


I may be biased, but I believe the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is one of the most beautiful zoos you can visit, and who doesn't like walking around the zoo at night? Some of those animal friends that sleep during the heat of the day are busybodies come nighttime. We usually get there around 6:30-7pm when it starts to do one walk-through in the daylight, then another round when it gets dark and the lanterns are in full effect. They also play very peaceful meditation music throughout. If you love the ambiance of Christmas lights like I do, this gives a very similar feel. 

They do provide themed food and beverages. I have not tried the food as of yet. I did cave this year and bought an alcoholic drink in an Asian Lantern. Yes, I did it for the souvenir. You get your choice of rum or vodka and they mix it with punch. It costs $15. You are only allowed one alcoholic drink at a time (including shots of Saki, nice try). If you are buying a drink for other people they need to pick it up from the counter themselves. I picked the rum for my fruity drink and was pleasantly surprised that they did not hold back. I could taste enough of the rum, which prevented the punch from being too sweet. It was refreshing on a warm evening and I would get it again.





To address the elephant in the room (ha), we need to talk about COVID precautions. At least for this 2020 version of the festival. They did provide a drive-thru option this year so you never had to leave your car. I'm not sure if that prevented some pathways from being viewed or not? I think it would cut it a little short because some of those paths aren't car friendly. Masks were required in the zoo. It was reinforced at the entry point, and when entering the dinosaur exhibit. That was pretty much it. There were entire groups of families that took their masks off and never put them back on. Staff walked by or stood by and never said a word. As someone with an autoimmune disease, this ruined the experience for me because I was extremely uncomfortable. Had this not been an outdoor event, I might've left. 




I would urge you not to judge this event by the pandemic. If this continues into the festival time next year, only you know your comfort level. It is a beautiful and interesting festival with creatively integrated facts and details of the Asian culture that grows each year. To be honest, it's my enjoyment of this event and getting Honey Hut ice cream on the way home 😉.

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