One of the wonderful things about children is their capacity to be enchanted by all things magical–Santa, Harry Potter, Disney Princesses, etc. As adults, we tend to become jaded and lose the ability to perceive the magic around us. However, last week I had the opportunity to revisit the wonder of childhood when I attended a truly Magical Chinese Lantern Festival at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.
The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden (DSBG), located on 380 acres of rolling hills in Belmont, North Carolina, was established by retired textile executive, Daniel Stowe, in 1999. There is a 50-year master plan for fully developing the property, but the current garden contains an elegant visitors pavilion, an orchid conservatory, acres of lush themed gardens, multiple fountains, an outdoor amphitheater, and The Lost Hollow Children’s Garden.

DSBG is a beautiful destination garden at any time of the year, but with the installation of more than 800 life-size and giant animal lanterns, the garden is transformed into a stunning and colorful wonderland. Traditionally, these lanterns were made of paper or silk and were created for festivals celebrating the end of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese lanterns displayed in the garden were created by artisans in Zigong, China, who construct them using metal frames covered with multi-hued rayon fabric.

Before you actually enter the garden, you pass through a “lantern gate” topped with many different animals. A magnificent fiery phoenix also stands sentry in front of the visitor’s center and gives guests a glimpse of the marvels to come.

As glorious as these introductory lanterns are, nothing prepares you for the amazing sight that greets you when you emerge from the visitor’s center into the garden. You immediately realize that you are “not in Kansas anymore” as you get your first view of an expansive eye-popping underwater scene. The magical ocean floor features fantastical giant jellyfish, (some as tall as 23 feet high) that tower over sparkling coral beds, seaweed, and anemones.

As you stroll further into the garden, you encounter many other animals, both realistic and mythological.

The fountains throughout the garden are illuminated with several different “floating” lantern aquatic scenes.
One of the most amazing displays was an immense, sprawling African migration complete with lions, rhinos, giraffes, and many other species.
There’s also a stunning peacock made from 6500 clear medicine bottles filled with colored liquid and a tiered elephant display made of ceramic plates and teacups.
If you can’t tell, I was so blown away by the magical Chinese lanterns in the garden that I couldn’t decide which dazzling displays to include in this post. I feel like the proverbial kid in a candy store, wanting to show you one of everything. Since I took hundreds of photos, that would be crazy. However, I hope that the pictures I’ve shared with you, have given you a chance to experience a few moments of the magical childhood wonder that the Chinese Lantern Festival brought about in me.
The Chinese Lantern Festival 2017 at The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden runs until October 29th. The DSBG also puts on a gorgeous Holidays At The Garden Christmas lights display that will run November 17th through December 31st, 2017.
If like me you haven’t gotten enough of these incredible masterpieces, you can view additional photos by clicking through the slideshow below and for more information about Chinese Lantern Festivals around the country, check out Lantern Light Festival.
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Lisa,
Thank you for posting this beautiful event. I wish I lived closer. Daniel Stowe gardens is such a beautiful place. I use to go there to see what was growing for my yard.
Thanks so much for your comment. The Chinese Lantern festival was truly magical. The garden is beautiful and getting bigger and better all the time. Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to visit again in the future.
Just spectacular. I love that there was a tiny velociraptor, because why not.
Thanks so much. Actually, the velociraptor was not so small. The large scale of the lanterns was one of the things that was so cool about the festival.
A fabulous, magical garden display! It would be hard to choose a favorite! Thanks for sharing your evening.
Thanks so much for commenting. It truly was a magical experience. I completely agree with you about not being able to choose a favorite. I was so dazzled by everything that I was still snapping photos as they were turning off the lights!
WOW! I think the bird is my favorite—but it’s so hard to choose! Thanks for bringing the light display to us!
Happy day friend!
karianne
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it and I am glad you enjoyed the Chinese Lanterns.
That must have been so much fun! Everything was beautiful, my kids would have loved all those lights.
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. It was definitely fun for kids of all ages!
Oh wow! What a fantastic way to spend the day. Sometimes we do forget to let a little magic into our lives 🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Here’s to not losing our sense of wonder when we get older!
Wow, such a beautiful light display! I’m still learning my way around North Carolina so it’s all new to me. I’m sorry we missed it but I’ll try to get the hubby to the holiday display. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for your comment. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is truly one of the jewels of NC. I hope you are able to make it to their holiday light display. In years past, they have had a huge Christmas tree in the visitors center that is decorated entirely with orchids which is quite stunning.
Of course I like the African animals the best. but the jellyfish are spectacular.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it! The Jellyfish were awesome because they were so huge but the African migration was equally stunning because of the sheer number of animals and the sprawling nature of the display.