The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival will be held in Franklin Square from June 20 – August 31, 2025 at 6th and Race Streets, Philadelphia PA 19106.

Click here to use Google Maps to help plan your trip.

This outdoor event is rain or shine, except for extreme weather conditions. The lanterns are weather-resistant, but we reserve the right to cancel the event if we feel the current or projected weather conditions could pose a risk to Guests. 

Please check current weather conditions here prior to your visit and dress appropriately. Comfortable footwear is recommended.

Please note 7th Street is partially blocked from Race to Vine streets due to construction and traffic delays are possible.

The entrance at the corner of 6th & Race Streets is open daily from 6 pm to purchase Festival tickets and to admit those who have pre-purchased tickets. 

For guests who have pre-purchased tickets, the entrance at the corner of 7th & Race Streets is open Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays for Festival admission. 

Parking

We recommend booking convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero, the nation’s leading parking reservations app.

To reserve your parking spot for The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival, visit the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival SpotHero Parking Page.

Limited three-hour metered parking is available along Race Street between 6th & 7th Streets and on 6th Street between Vine and Race Streets.

Monday – Thursday:
• $26 for adults
• $17 for children (ages 3-12, 2 and under are free)
• $23 for youth (13-17), senior (65+), and active military (with I.D.)

Friday – Sunday (timed tickets required):
• $29 for adults
• $17 for children (ages 3-12, 2 and under are free)
• $27 for youth (13-17), senior (65+), and active military (with I.D.)

Group rates for groups of 20 or more. You can contact our group sales department at 215-629-5801 ext. 209 for details.

Once inside the Festival, you may stay until closing. Exit and re-entry are not permitted.

Tickets are available at the 6th & Race Street entrance, but we strongly encourage you to purchase tickets in advance online or via your smartphone here.

Advance ticket purchase will reduce your time in lines and enhance your Festival experience. 

When purchasing tickets online, please double-check that your email address is entered correctly. This ensures you receive your tickets and allows us to contact you in case of a closure or delayed opening due to weather.

You may also purchase tickets in person at Franklin Square at the ticket window during the day.

Festival admission includes viewing all of the amazing lantern displays, live performances, and the Franklin Square Fountain Show. Once inside the Festival, you may stay as long as you’d like.

Tickets do not include merchandise, food, beverages, or admission to the Parx Liberty Carousel and Philly Mini Golf. Discounted tickets for the Parx Liberty Carousel and Philly Mini Golf are available during the Festival or while purchasing your tickets online.  

Timed tickets are required for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. For tickets with an entry time of 7 p.m. or later, you may enter 15 minutes prior to the time on your ticket or any time after. Tickets are only for the day printed on your ticket. Once inside the Festival, you may stay as long as you’d like.

Bring the printable ticket with the QR code

OR

If you cannot print the ticket at home, your ticket can be scanned on your smartphone. When you arrive at the gate, go to the “have tickets” line, open your email, and click the link to retrieve your e-tickets. Turn your phone’s brightness up and show the ticket with the QR code to be scanned. Do not screen capture your ticket, as it will not work. Once scanned, tickets are void.

The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square is a rain-or-shine event.

Tickets may be rescheduled with 24 hours advance notice. Weekday tickets may be rescheduled for another Monday through Thursday; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday tickets may be rescheduled for a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. 

No tickets may be rescheduled with less than 24 hours’ notice. There are no exceptions.

All requests to reschedule should be directed to reschedule@historicphiladelphia.org. Please do not submit multiple requests.

Please include your order number and the requested new date/time. No phone calls please.

If conditions force a cancellation of the Festival, ticket-holders will be notified via email as soon as possible. In the event of a cancellation, ticket-holders have the option to request a refund or to reschedule their tickets for a comparable day.

We do not offer refunds for unused tickets unless otherwise noted in our weather policy. Please visit  “Can I reschedule my ticket” for options on how to attend another day.

For admission, we accept Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex, Google Pay and Apple Pay. Please note this transaction will appear on your credit card statement as “HISTORICPHILAD”.  

We do not accept Venmo or Cash App cards. 

SquareBurger, and Folk Artists accept Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex and Apple Pay. Please note this transaction will appear on your credit card statement as “SquareBurger” or “Tianyu “. 

Venmo and Cash App is NOT accepted. 

The Beer/Cocktail Garden accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex, Google Pay and Apple Pay. Note this transaction will appear on your credit statement as “SquareBurger” .

Cash, Venmo or Cash App is NOT accepted. 

The Festival generally remains open in the rain. The Lanterns themselves are weather-resistant and look quite nice in light rain. We closely monitor weather conditions as they change rapidly in the summer months and try to make any weather decisions as soon as possible.

We may delay opening the Festival if a storm is in our vicinity or suspend operations and stop admittance during a pop up storm or fully cancel the event if we feel the conditions pose a safety hazard to our Guests.  If you are traveling far, we suggest that you monitor weather forecasts and take advantage of rescheduling your tickets for the best experience.  See our rescheduling policy for details.

Yes, Franklin Square is wheelchair accessible. Please note that travel areas are brick, grass and concrete. 

Unfortunately, wheelchairs are not for rent onsite at the Festival. 

Philly Mini Golf and the Parx Liberty Carousel are also wheelchair accessible. The Parx Liberty Carousel can accommodate those traveling in a wheelchair who can transfer out of a wheelchair. 

Yes, Franklin Square welcomes leashed dogs. Please be aware that the Festival attracts large crowds; please consider if the Festival is the best experience for your dog.

Franklin Square is a smoke-free park. This includes vaping.

The following items are prohibited on Franklin Square park grounds during the festival.

• Aerosol cans – with the exception of sun screen, bug spray & hygiene products
• Lawn chairs and folding chairs
• Glass bottles
• Hard-sided or Styrofoam coolers or thermoses
• Knives, weapons or chains
• Spiked clothing or jewelry
• Bags or backpacks larger than 16” x 16” x 8”
• Fireworks and explosives
• Firearms and ammunition
• Chemical weapons, including mace and pepper spray
• Marijuana and other illegal substances 
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones)
• Bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and rollerblades 

All visitors will be scanned using weapons detection devices prior to entering the Festival. All bags and personal belongings are subject to search by prior to entering. Please see our “What items are prohibited” list.

Philadelphia Police officers and Emergency Medical Personnel will be present in addition to Event Security Staff.

The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival is a private gated event and, as part of its safety protocols, does not permit firearms on the property. This includes those with a permit to carry and includes off-duty and retired law enforcement.    

The Philadelphia Police Department or Pennsylvania State Police working the event is the only exception to this rule.    

Yes, visitors are welcome to bring bottled water and reusable water bottles into the Festival.

The best way to reach us is our contact page, which is linked HERE. We strive to respond to all inquiries as quickly as possible, but please be patient as we may experience a high volume of messages. Rest assured, we will get back to you as soon as we can!

The playground will remain open and accessible from 7th Street from 6 am to 11 pm. The playground will not be accessible from inside the park on festival days from 6 – 11 pm. 

Franklin Square is open daily. The park grounds and playgrounds open at 6 a.m. The Parx Liberty Carousel and Philly Mini Golf open at 10 a.m. Even though the lanterns look best illuminated at night, guests can view them for free during the day.

The Square closes each day at 5 p.m. for Festival preparation. The park is cleared of guests during this time.

Final ticket sales and entrance to Philly Mini Golf is at 4:15pm to ensure complete gameplay. Final ticket sales and entrance to the Parx Liberty Carousel is 15 minutes prior to closing for the Festival.