Chinese Lantern Festival now open through June 30
By Alex Lloyd Gross
The Chinese Lantern festival is back for 2018, at Franklin Square. Located at 7th and Race Streets, this festival features wonder paper mache lanterns that must be seen to be fully appreciated. Hand made in China, they are brought into the United States and it’s here in Philadelphia until the end of June.
If you went last year, and thought that there is nothing new, think again. Everything is new. There are fish and lots of aquatic life featured, like Sea Turtles and dolphins. Even a giant shark you can walk through. The huge dragon is there but this time it has changed it’s color to blue.
The festival costs $18.00 to get in and some of the souvenirs can be a bit pricey. $20.00 for a T-shirt or $40.00 for a hoodie. They do have post cards for a dollar. Food cost are reasonable. The carousel in the park is open and rides are $3.00 each. You can also play a round of miniature golf.
Cameras are welcome. To get the best photos at night, push your ISO to 1600 or higher. Do not use flash, as that will defeat the purpose of the photo. During daytime hours, it is free to walk through the park and see the lanterns, They are not lit up. The park is cleared out about 7:00 PM when the admission fee takes effect.
You can wander around as much as you want. Some things, like a lighted tunnel beg for a selfie, and most people will stop and grab one there. It’s best to go during the week, as the weekends are more crowded.