Zigong Lantern Festival

Background

The Zigong lantern festival has a long history, generally traced back to the Tang dynasty, and today it is known for its dinosaur themes and giant installations. The festival is held at China Lantern World in Zigong's Eastern New City, where large installations and hundreds of smaller displays light up one after another, combining traditional lantern craft with interactive sound, light, water and electrical effects. At the 32nd edition in 2026, the entrance gate stood about 35 metres high, the "Kunpeng" lantern spread its wings about 210 metres, the 22-metre Nian beast "Niannian" could chat with visitors by voice, and the "Legend of Mulan" installation proved a crowd favourite.

Local customs

• See the giant lantern installations at night
• look for the dinosaur-themed lanterns and interactive sound-and-light displays
• learn about traditional lantern-making

Travel tips

The lanterns are usually lit before the Spring Festival and stay on until around March, with the schedule announced each year (the 32nd edition opened with the lighting on the evening of January 23, 2026). China Lantern World is in Zigong's Eastern New City and gets crowded at night, so plan your transport there and back in advance and try to avoid the opening and Spring Festival peaks. Tickets and transport arrangements are subject to official announcements.

2027 schedule

• The 2027 Spring Festival falls on February 6
• the lanterns are expected to be lit before then and stay on until around March, with exact dates pending official announcement.