Dragon Lights Festival Cultural Art Experience
Annual Chinese lantern festival in Reno featuring traditional artistry, cultural exchange, and community engagement opportunities.
The Dragon Lights Festival is an annual cultural celebration held at Reno's Rancho San Rafael Park, featuring elaborate Chinese lantern installations created by master artisans from Zigong City, China. Now in its 5th year in Reno and 11th year in the U.S., the festival represents a centuries-old tradition of lantern artistry and serves as a platform for cultural exchange between the U.S. and China. The 2025 theme is 'Odyssey of Waves & Woods,' featuring thousands of illuminated lantern displays that animate and glow throughout the park's Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. The festival is produced by Tianyu Arts & Culture Inc. and involves a team of 23 specialized artisans including welders, electricians, fabric artists, and painters who travel from China to create these intricate displays. Each installation requires collaborative teamwork, with hundreds of designers, artists, and engineers contributing to the project. The event transforms the park into an interactive cultural experience, offering visitors the opportunity to walk among luminous installations while experiencing traditional Chinese artistry. Beyond the visual spectacle, the festival includes a food court, marketplace, interactive games, and arcade, creating a comprehensive cultural immersion experience. The event emphasizes cultural understanding and connection, demonstrating how art can bridge differences between communities and nations.