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Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild, presented by Publix, returns for 6th year at Central Florida Zoo & Botanical GardensEvent to take place select nights Nov. 14, 2025, to Jan. 18, 2026
Sanford's most dazzling holiday tradition returns at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens!
The magical displays of Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild will return on select nights from November 14, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Central Florida’s well-known grocery store, Publix, will also return as the festival’s presenting sponsor.
“Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild has become a beloved tradition for so many in our community, and we’re thrilled to bring it back for a sixth spectacular year,” said Zoo CEO Richard E. Glover, Jr. “This event transforms the Zoo into something truly magical offering a one-of-a-kind experience that blends art, culture and nature in a way that only the Zoo can. We’re proud to continue our collaboration with Publix and welcome guests to make holiday memories with us this season.”
The festival features larger-than-life handcrafted lanterns lit by more than 10,000 LED lights. The event combines beautiful color, light and sound to deliver a true experience celebrating traditional Asian lantern festivals.
Lanterns are situated on a 3/4-mile loop around the Zoo, providing a unique take on a holiday light show that keeps guests coming back year after year with friends and family.
This is the sixth year for the festival, which started in 2019 and was not held in 2020. Last year, the event once again broke attendance records, drawing an incredible 120,000 ticket sales, with so many who walked through the Zoo’s gates to experience the spectacular festival.
“Publix is honored to continue our support of the Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild as presenting sponsor,” said Hannah Herring, Publix Media Relations Manager. “We’re proud to be part of the communities we serve and hope this event will bring families together in a meaningful way during the holiday season.”
Family and individual tickets go on sale October 1, 2025. Reservations for groups are already under way and buy-outs for select nights are also available.
For more information about the Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild, visit https://www.centralfloridazoo.org/lanterns/.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Children's Garden, Sanford, FL 32771, United States
Tickets
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