A riot of light lands in Budapest this fall as the World’s Animals Lantern Festival takes over the Capital Zoo and Botanical Garden from Friday, October 17, 2025, to Sunday, February 22, 2026. Chinese masters bring a millennium of lantern-making to life with dazzling, oversized sculptures that pulse with LED light beneath vivid textiles, all anchored on sleek steel frames. Plants, animals, and fantasy beings shine across the grounds after dark.
Animals of Every Continent, Lit Up
The show’s beating heart is wildlife from every corner of the globe—Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, North America, and South America—reimagined as glowing figures stamped with patterns unique to each continent. It’s a world tour in light, with creatures styled in continent-specific motifs and colors that turn the pathways into a neon nature map.
Beyond the Lanterns
It’s not just a walk-through spectacle: throughout the run, music and art programs add live energy to the after-hours experience. The festival runs nightly through February 22.
