See thousands of colorful and ornate lanterns light up the night sky when this ancient Chinese
tradition returns to the Missouri Botanical Garden for the summer season. The Lantern Festival features 22 all-new sets of lanterns crafted from silk and steel, offering visitors the opportunity to experience an event rarely staged outside of Asia.
Lantern festivals are a central part of Chinese culture dating back thousands of years. Today, lantern festivals traditionally mark the Chinese New Year, when complex and ornate lanterns fill cities. The 22 sets that make up the Lantern Festival: Magic Reimagined are constructed using traditional materials including silk, wire and porcelain. Each set is accompanied by interpretation detailing the design's tradition, symbolism and meaning.
The Lantern Festival: Magic Reimagined is open nightly through August 30 at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets are $26 for adults ($13 for members) and $10 for children ages 3-12 ($5 for member's children). Daytime viewing is included with regular Garden admission.
More information and tickets: mobot.org
Photo courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Photo by John Evans.
Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, macaws speak the English language and much more at the WOW! Amazing Animal Show at the World Bird Sanctuary. Every program showcases different animals so each day is a new experience.
Visit the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park and see a star show to experience the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere. Star shows are lead LIVE by one of the Planetarium's educators, creating a new and tailored experience for every audience.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
Sensory Friendly Science Time features reduced noise, modified lighting and sensory-friendly demonstrations at the Saint Louis Science Center.
Families are invited to join ECM for its FREE Ka-Chow! Cars Event and experience the fun of Radiator Springs and Route 66 right in Edwardsville. Sponsored by the City of Edwardsville, Ka-Chow! includes free admission to the Edwardsville Children's Museum and a meet-and-greet with Lightning McQueen himself.
