Dragons and Lanterns Festival

This Christmas, for the first time, the famous Dragons and Lanterns festival from Shanghai is coming to Paris!

This exceptional and unprecedented event in Europe is being hosted in Paris for the first time at the Jardin d'Acclimatation in collaboration with Shanghai Yuyuan (Yuyuan Inc.). The festival will be held from December 15, 2023, to February 25, 2024. It's a must-visit for all lovers of dazzling and enchanting performances, right in the heart of the Christmas magic!

A fabulous world filled with light and poetry awaits

A gem of traditional Chinese culture that spans millennia, the Dragons and Lanterns Festival is usually held in the heart of the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, in the Yuyuan Garden, not far from the Yangtze River. This year, the Festival has been brought to Paris. Once the night falls, it offers a fabulous family experience to brighten up the end-of-year festivities and the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. This winter, for the first time in France, these grandiose lanterns and luminous structures, crafted like true works of art by the artisans of "Shanghai Yuyuan," will illuminate the pathways of the Jardin d'Acclimatation.

This magical nighttime stroll offers a journey through the legendary universe of Shanhai jing (山海经), the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" a masterpiece of Chinese literature that continues to be the origin of many myths still popular today, continuously nourishing Chinese artistic creativity and folklore for over 2,000 years.

From December 15, visitors will be enchanted by a magical and cultural journey (with thousands of lanterns!) where each scene is a discovery: extraordinary dragons, fantastical creatures, friendly characters shining in multiple colours, as well as other experiences: Chinese craftsmanship workshops, authentic Asian cuisine, folk dances and songs, martial arts demonstrations, to name just a few.

Whether you are young or old, a Parisian or just passing by, a fan of Chinese culture and legends or simply seeking wonder, the Dragons and Lanterns Festival is an outing full of surprises and memories not to be missed this winter!

From Shanghai to Paris, a highly anticipated festival

This is the very first time that the Lantern Festival from the famous "Shanghai Yuyuan" (an iconic garden and a source of pride for the city's residents since the 16th century) is being hosted beyond China's borders. It is exclusively taking place at the Jardin d'Acclimatation (the oldest and most Parisian of amusement parks). Closely followed and highly publicised in China, this event is undoubtedly one of France’s most anticipated cultural celebrations this year! The festival is part of the 60th-anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between France and China and the Franco-Chinese Year of Cultural Tourism in 2024.

This winter, where two cultures converge, Shanghai meets Paris to offer everyone an unforgettable and poetic experience following the footsteps of the dragon!