The Columbus Zoo's Lantern Festival opens Thursday, Aug. 20, on Powell Road in Liberty Township, and the 2026 edition packs in more after-dark options than its first two runs.

The festival runs every Thursday through Sunday from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. through Oct. 25 at 4850 W. Powell Rd. Parking is free. As we reported Aug. 10, more than 70 handcrafted lantern sets line the zoo's pathways, including a new dinosaur collection and a floating display on Conservation Lake.

Tickets and pricing

The Lantern Festival is a separately ticketed event, not included with daytime zoo admission. Non-member tickets run $28.99 for adults and $25.99 for children; Columbus Zoo members pay $21.99 and $18.99, respectively, according to Columbus on the Cheap. A new "Roar and Return Pass" replaces last year's combo ticket, letting guests visit the zoo during the day and come back for the festival on a separate date. The zoo encourages advance purchases at columbuszoo.org/lantern-festival. The event runs rain or shine.

Six rides included

Festival admission covers unlimited spins on six rides: the Columbus Zoo Train, Grand Carousel, Mission Macaw, Tidal Twist, Flying Clipper and Havoc Harbor.

Animals after dark

Several exhibits stay open well past sunset. The sea lion and seal tunnel in Adventure Cove remains accessible until 10:30 p.m., and Stingray Bay stays open until 10 p.m. (no feeding offered). Jack Hanna's Animal Encounters Village closes at 8 p.m. Over in Asia Quest, elephants have access to at least one outdoor yard, weather permitting, and the Naomi Coyle Dempsey Quest for Enlightenment Interpretive Center is open until 10:30 p.m. The Barn on North America Trek, the Aquarium at Discovery Reef, the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Center and the Reptile Building are also open, with the latter three closing at 8:30 p.m.

VIP golf cart tours

New for 2026, the zoo is offering guided VIP tours on Mondays through Wednesdays from Sept. 7 through Oct. 21, dates when the festival is closed to the general public. The 90-minute tours run from 8 to 9:30 p.m. and take guests through the illuminated displays aboard a golf cart, according to Columbus Navigator. Reservations are available at columbuszoo.org/tours/lantern-festival-vip-tour.

Behind the glow

Thirty-five artisans from Zigong, China, spent 45 days and nearly 30,000 hours handcrafting the lanterns, which traveled more than 7,600 miles from Sichuan Province to Columbus, according to the zoo's behind-the-scenes blog. Twenty of those artists will be on-site during the festival. The lanterns use LED bulbs that cut energy consumption by roughly 85% compared with traditional lighting.

One closure to note

The festival will be dark Sept. 18 for Untamed, the zoo's annual conservation gala.

Food and extras

Wild Burger and Village Tap serve pot stickers, Asian cuisine, burgers and festive drinks inside the zoo. Live entertainment, character meet-and-greets and the SpectroLantern Rolling Celebration round out the evening. The zoo's free mobile app offers in-park walking directions to specific lantern displays.

For tickets and full details, visit columbuszoo.org/lantern-festival or call 614-645-3400.

Coming up

  • Aug. 20: Lantern Festival opening night, 7:30 p.m.
  • Sept. 7: VIP golf cart tours begin (Mon.–Wed. evenings through Oct. 21)
  • Sept. 18: Festival closed for Untamed gala
  • Oct. 25: Final night of the Lantern Festival