2025 Lantern Festivals In & Around Chengdu

CdExpat Team

January 27, 2025

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Event, Families, Most Read, News, Travel

• If you’re staying in Chengdu (or are visiting) during Chinese New Year, and are looking for a little local flavour, one of the many lantern festivals will be sure to hit the spot. They tend to offer up traditional street snacks, Chinese nicknacks, huge lanterns in all shapes and sizes, and lots and lots of people.

• Most of the lanterns are sculpted to tell a stories based on myths, legends, folk customs, historical stories, movies and TV shows. In Sichuan the Zigong Lantern Festival (a city known for their dinosaur fossils, spicy food, and salt production) is the most famous – but Chengdu is also hosting some of its own.• Here are the lantern festivals happening in, or close to Chengdu:

Until February 12:

Wuhou Temple Fair

成都武侯祠大庙会

This is technically a temple fair, not a Lantern festival – but the differences are minor. The fair is a window into the past and a great opportunity to experience local culture and traditions.

The Wuhou Temple Fair is one of the most iconic large-scale Spring Festival themed events in Chengdu, attracting large crowds. The fair includes many traditional elements including a lantern show, cultural performances, food fairs, and cultural exhibitions. Spiritualism and mysticism is trending in China – with many more young people being interesting in temple culture, so expect to see both the young and old showing up here. Be prepared for huge crowds at this prime tourist destination.

Don’t miss the main stage of the Wuhou Temple Fair – where they will show several award-winning cultural, featured exhibitions and delicious food.

Date/ Time:

Until February 12

Daily, 9:00-22:00

Tickets: 40RMB/ person

Venue: Wuhou Shrine Museum 武侯祠博物馆

Address: No. 233, Wuhouci Street, Wuhou District

武侯区武侯祠大街231号

Metro: Line 3 & 5 • Gaoshengqiao Station Exit A

Tel: 028-85535951

Until February 12:

Chengdu Jinsha Sun Festival 成都金沙太阳神鸟节

The lantern show at the famous Jinsha archaeological site is sure to be a story telling delight – as the lanterns here represent many of the precious findings such as the golden sun bird, from the sacrificial time of ancient Chinese sun worship and sun mythology.

If you are after a big dose of ancient Shu history, this is the lantern fair for you.

Date/ Time:

Until February 12

Tickets: From 66RMB

Venue:

Jinsha Site Museum 金沙博物馆

Address:
Qingyang District, Jinsha Yizhi Road (Qing Yang Avenue) No. 2
金沙遗址博物馆, 金沙遗址路2号 (青羊大道227号)

Metro:

Jinsha Site Museum, Metro Line 7

Tel.: 028-87303522

Until March 9:

Tianfu Paradise International Panda Lantern Festival

第54届成都国际熊猫灯会

As a “time-honored brand”, this festival was founded in 1962 – so holds fond memories for generations of local people. The theme of this year’s lantern fair is… “Innovation and Creation” – let’s hope they put more effort into the lanterns, than the name! They’re displaying more than 20,000 lights.

This year’s lantern show is composed of four groups, namely “Flower City”, “Night Tour of Jinjiang”, “Shuirun Tianfu” and “Comfort in Shu”. We like their funky modern take on the Chinese lantern, and some of the statues even move! Another plus is the location, just behind the New Exhibition Center (close to Fairmont Hotel). There are lots of food stalls and entertainment for the little ones.

Note: This year’s lantern is open to the public free of charge by means of “quota reservation, real name authentication”

Date/ Time:

Until March 9 (Closed on January 28）

Daily, 10:00-21:30

(The lantern switch on at 18:00)

Tickets:

Daily limit free admission of 5000 people

Book online in advance https://xmdh.028wlkj.com/lanternH5/#/home

(Most days already seem fully booked)

Venue:

Jiangtan Park 江滩公园

(behind Century City Exhibition Center)

Address:

No. 777 Shijicheng Road, Gaoxin District

高新区世纪城路777号

Until February 12:

TaiKoo Li Chengdu – Legends of the Year

Location:
Taikoo Li Chengdu, Temple Square 成都太古里, 慢广场

Address:
DongDa Street No. 9, Jinjiang District 锦江区东大街9号

Metro:
Chunxi Road, Metro Line 2/3

Time:
Until February 12

Admission:
Free

Until February 12:

Dongmen Lantern Festival

The lively and dazzling lantern festival was vividly described by the famous local writer Li Jieren in his works about old Chengdu. Themed originally with “The Year of the Dragon,” the main square is filled with lit up dragon decorations and colorful lanterns. Why mess around?

Address:

No. 9 Lingke West Road, Shizishan Street
Metro:

Shizishan Station, Metro Line 7
Time:

Daily, until February 12
Admission:

Free

Until February 14:

Tiexiangsi Waterfront 铁像寺水街春节活动

Venue:

Tiexiang Temple Riverfront Phase 2 铁像寺水街二期中轴线

Address:

Shenghua North Rd., Gaoxin District 高新区盛华北路116号

Metro:

Metro Line 5, Jincheng Lake station

Time:

Daily, until February 14, 10：00-21：00

Admission:

Free

Fire Dragon Dance at Huanglongxi Ancient Town

黄龙溪火龙灯舞演出

The ancient town will stage the new version of the traditional fire dragon dance at 19:00 every evening during the Spring Festival holidays. The show of this year will integrate local cultural elements and highlight local farming activities.

Location:

Huanglongxi Ancient Town 黄龙溪古镇

Address:

70 Huangjin Rd,. Huanglongxi County, Shuangliu District

市双流区黄龙溪镇皇金路70号

Date/ Time:

Jan. 29 – Feb. 4, daily from 7pm

Admission:

Free

Out of Town:

Until May 3rd: Zigong Lantern Show 自贡灯会

The original (31st!), the biggest and the most famous, it is one of the largest folk cultural activities in China. Zigong’s festival ranks among the top events celebrating heritage in modern times. The most famous and lavish lantern festival near Chengdu, combines classical Chinese art, with state of the art lighting technology. This year a special section is also dedicated to cosplay.