Every autumn, Reno welcomes a luminous tradition that traces its roots back more than two millennia. Dragon Lights Reno, once known as the Chinese Lantern Festival, transforms the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Gardens into a glowing spectacle of color, culture, and creativity. What began in China as a ritual to honor the first full moon of the lunar new year has evolved into a global celebration of light and artistry.

Skilled artisans craft lanterns using silk, steel, and LED lights, carefully shaping them into larger-than-life sculptures that often tower above their audience. These displays are more than decorations. They are works of art that blend traditional techniques with modern storytelling. Each lantern, whether depicting mythical creatures, marine life, or enchanted forests, is designed to evoke awe while carrying forward centuries of Chinese cultural heritage.

Dragon Lights Reno first debuted in 2018, quickly establishing itself as one of the city’s most anticipated seasonal events. For locals and visitors alike, the festival has become a way to experience the beauty of lantern craftsmanship up close, making it a cultural bridge that connects East and West under the Nevada night sky.

This year’s festival is running from September 26 to November 30, 2025.

The Asian Culture Zone anchors the festival with a majestic Chinese dragon and other lanterns inspired by iconic cultural symbols, architecture, and nature. Here, visitors walk among scenes that highlight the beauty and depth of Chinese heritage, all conveyed through meticulous craftsmanship and glowing detail.

The Odyssey of Waves Zone immerses guests in a vibrant undersea world where whales, crabs, shrimp, and coral light up in dazzling blues and greens. A highlight of this zone is a breathtaking 100-foot-long sea tunnel that allows visitors to step directly into an illuminated ocean.

The Odyssey of Woods Zone offers a whimsical escape into a magical forest filled with mythical creatures and fantastical plants. Lanterns here draw from folklore and imagination, creating a dreamlike setting where the line between art and nature feels almost blurred.

Together, these zones reflect the festival’s mission to blend cultural storytelling with awareness of the natural world. By exploring oceans and forests through lantern art, Dragon Lights Reno celebrates both human creativity and the biodiversity that inspires it.

While the lanterns are the heart of the festival, Dragon Lights Reno offers much more than glowing displays. This year introduces an Interactive Playground featuring 12 illuminated installations that invite guests to touch, sit on, and even swing from the art itself. Among the highlights is the Swing of Love, a glowing, heart-shaped swing that has quickly become a crowd favorite for families, friends, and couples.

Food plays a major role in rounding out the experience. Local vendors line the festival grounds, serving a wide variety of dishes and snacks to satisfy every appetite. New for 2025 is an expanded menu of hot beverages, perfect for keeping warm during crisp autumn nights in Reno. Whether visitors are sipping cocoa under the lanterns or sampling regional bites, the festival ensures that the culinary offerings are as memorable as the glowing displays.

The layout of Dragon Lights Reno also makes it a leisurely, family-friendly outing. Guests are free to wander at their own pace, snapping photos, trying out interactive features, and taking in the artistry from different angles. The Arboretum itself adds another layer of atmosphere, with its gardens and pathways providing a natural stage for the glowing sculptures.

Cultural events thrive when they bring people together, and Dragon Lights Reno has made community connection central to its mission. The 2025 festival arrives with a new presenting sponsor, Northern Nevada Health System (NNHS), whose support underscores the event’s importance to the region.

“We’re thrilled to welcome title sponsor Northern Nevada Health System as we return to Reno this fall and once again share the Dragon Lights Festival with the community,” said Huiyuan Liu, event manager at Tianyu Arts & Culture. “This event brings families and neighbors together to experience art, culture, and imagination in a truly unique setting.”

Community spirit is also reflected in the festival’s accessibility. With nightly hours stretching from 6:00–9:00 p.m. through November 1, and shifting slightly earlier to 5:00–9:00 p.m. from November 2 through 30, the event accommodates school nights, family outings, and weekend adventures. The extended fall schedule ensures that more people can experience the glowing displays against Reno’s crisp, clear autumn skies.

At its core, Dragon Lights Reno is more than a seasonal spectacle. It is a cultural celebration that enriches the city’s identity. Reno has long been known for its casinos, outdoor recreation, and vibrant arts scene, and the lantern festival adds another layer to its cultural offerings. For many, it’s a chance to experience a tradition rooted in Chinese history without leaving Northern Nevada.

The festival also serves as a living art gallery. Unlike paintings or sculptures in a museum, these lanterns invite people to move among them, to look up at them from below, and to interact with them directly. This accessibility makes the event appealing across generations, from children enchanted by glowing sea creatures to adults intrigued by the craftsmanship behind every stitch and weld.

As Reno continues to evolve, events like Dragon Lights play a vital role in shaping the city’s cultural landscape. They remind us that art can be both global and local, traditional and modern, deeply symbolic yet simply fun. And perhaps most importantly, they bring people together in a shared experience of light, color, and imagination.

https://dragonlightsreno.org/