Cary Extends NC Chinese Lantern Festival at Koka Booth Through 2034

After 249,360 visitors, 22 sold-out nights, and more than $11.6 million in direct economic impact, the Town of Cary announced March 11 that the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival will remain at Koka Booth Amphitheatre through the 2033-2034 season, extending its partnership with festival producer Tianyu Arts & Culture for nearly another decade.

The record-breaking 2025-26 season, which ran from Nov. 15, 2025 through Jan. 11, 2026, marked the festival's 10th year in Cary. Tianyu Arts & Culture first brought the event to North Carolina in 2015. The eight-week run drew guests from all 50 states and eight countries and generated more than $528,000 in tax revenue.

Independent visitor analysis from Placer.ai placed the Town-owned amphitheatre in the top 10% of comparable venues nationwide during festival months over the past four seasons. Koka Booth, managed by Legends Global, has earned the No. 1 ranking in North Carolina in each of the past two years.

"For the past decade, the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival has been a shining example of how the arts can bring people together and showcase Cary to visitors from across the country and world," said Mayor Harold Weinbrecht. "We're grateful to our staff and partners whose hard work makes this incredible experience possible and proud to continue sharing it with our community."

Cary Director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources John Collins pointed to the loyalty the festival has built among Triangle families. "People return year after year to see what's new and to experience the artistry and cultural storytelling that make the festival so special," Collins said. "Extending this partnership means we can keep building on that tradition and continue bringing something truly unique to Cary each winter."

The scale of the production explains much of that loyalty. More than 25 visiting Chinese artisans and performers handcraft the displays on-site, building approximately 2,500 lanterns from hand-welded metal frames and hand-painted silks illuminated by more than 15,000 LED lights across more than 40 distinct displays. The 2025-26 season also raised $7,014.61 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and $7,659.49 for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina through online donations.

Koka Booth Amphitheatre is located at 8003 Regency Pkwy. in Cary. Gates normally open at 6 p.m., though twilight tickets allow entry as early as 4:30 p.m. for $22.40 for youth and $35.79 for adults, with the festival closing at 10 p.m. Parking is free at venue-owned lots. The festival is scheduled to return in November with an entirely new collection of lanterns.