The Hello Panda Festival kicked off a season of lanterns, food and holiday festivities last Friday.
Deemed “the largest lantern arts event in North America,” the Citi Field festival boasts more than 120 giant illuminated displays handcrafted by 60 renowned artisans. The jaw-dropping displays include a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree — the tallest in North America — a 98-foot panda-themed light tunnel, motorized dinosaurs and serene underwater-themed scenes.
Festival organizers, CPAA North America, have iterations of the popular festival in Vernon, N.J., and the Catskills. Since the company’s inception in 2013, they have co-produced events in Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center including stage productions of “Mulan,” “Dragon Boat Racing” and “Wedding of Erdos.”
“The growing popularity of lantern festivals is due to the role of social media in today’s world,” said Winston Wang, general manager of CPAA North America. “Our Hello Panda Festival has been designed to stir the senses and inspire imaginations.”
In addition the world-class lanterns, Hello Panda will also feature international cuisine and a full-service bar with cocktails curated by The World’s Fare vendors, contemporary art exhibits, nightly live performances and photo-ops with Santa on select days. Click here to get more details on everything to see and do at Hello Panda.
Bundle up and head out to Hello Panda, which runs from 5 to 10 p.m. every day until Jan. 26, 2020. Tickets are $22 to $28 minus tax and service fees. To learn more, visit www.hellopandafest.com or follow @hellopandafest on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook.
Check out some of the festival highlights below.
