A few weeks ago I took at exciting visit to see the new Chinese Lantern Festival exhibit at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. If you've ever visited the gardens you know what a magical, beautiful place it is. Located just outside of Charlotte in the quaint town of Belmont, with ongoing events and changing exhibits throughout the year, Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens brings a unique element of beauty and art to our community. The Chinese Lantern exhibit is nothing short of phenomenal.
For my visit, I did my best to dress in theme with a traditional Chinese pant suit handed down from a client. If you saw my recent Chinoiserie Chic post, you'll know this is one current trend of which I cannot get enough. Dragons, gardens, butterflies, bamboo... magical maximalism at it's finest!
The Chinese Lantern Festival runs now through October 29. I highly recommend you do NOT miss this one. Families, take your children! Adults and children alike, you will be amazed by the magic. This is the perfect date night outing. A few fun facts about the lanterns...
- The lanterns were shipped from Zigong and traveled nearly 9,000 miles via trains, trucks, and ships (ultimately to the port of Charleston!) to the Garden.
- The lanterns are built by hand with metal frames and colorful rayon material stretched around the them. The lanterns start as a 2D rendering and ends up as a 3D work of art you will see at the exhibit.
- The tallest lantern in the exhibit includes the jellfish standing up to Michael Jordan feet tall (23)!
My friend interior design pal Cathy's pictures turned out better than mine, so I'll share some of those with you here. Visit her wonderful design blog to see more pictures of the exhibit. There was also a fantastic Dragon Dance performance by The Peaceful Dragon.
There are also amazing vendors selling Asian art, jewelry, bags and more, as well as a puppet show and a plethora of classes like Calligraphy, The Art of Kokedama and more to let you explore further the Asian Culture. Read about it all HERE. If I didn't already say this, and I know I did... This exhibit is AMAZING! Don't miss it!