By Gerry Barker
Photos/video by Gerry Barker
The history of the Chinese Lantern Festival goes back thousands of years. According to legend, it began when a fairy instructed villagers to light lanterns to save their city from the Jade Emperor. Later, Emperor Ming decreed that all temples and households should light lanterns in honor of Buddha, and a festival was born.
In West Palm Beach, Mounts Botanical Garden is hosting its own version with the debut of “ILUMINA: A Tropical Garden Lantern Festival,” featuring more than 500 handcrafted silk lanterns scattered throughout the garden’s 20 acres. As you walk through the garden's paths, you'll find everything from orchids, chameleons and flamingos to dinosaurs and mythical creatures, as well as traditional Christmas decorations. But the centerpiece is a 195-foot-tall, smoke-spewing dragon that rises from the garden's lake, its iridescent and vibrant colors reflected in the water below.
Detailed craftsmanship goes into the production of these works of art. Each is handcrafted and combines bamboo, silk and steel with sustainable LED lighting. Misty Stoller, Marketing and Communications Director at Mounts Garden, shared the process each individual goes through. “Each lantern is made by master craftsmen,” she said, “and it takes a team of 35 craftsmen 45 days to complete.”
There are two phases. Phase one begins with a design concept and an artistic representation. Next is a full draft. Framing begins with cutting the steel bars. Using 3D sculpting. The frames are then bent and welded together by hand and treated with rust protection to ensure durability for outdoor use.
Phase two begins with the installation of LED wiring and energy efficient lights, followed by the fabric covering (viscose or satin) that gives the lantern shape and color. Details and patterns are hand painted.
When the finished lantern is ready for dispatch, it is carefully disassembled and packaged for transport to Mounts Garden where, following quality and lighting checks, it is reassembled and placed for display.
“Even after the lanterns are installed, there is a team on site throughout the ILUMINA Garden to clean and repair the lanterns daily,” Ms. Stoller said.
The event includes a series of photo stops for guests to capture the magic of the moment, as well as vendors selling drinks, snacks and hot chocolate for those chilly nights. It's guaranteed to delight your senses and provide plenty of content to share on social media.
“ILUMINA” can be seen at Mounts Garden from Wednesday to Sunday until January 11, 2026. Limited-time tickets are available at 5:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Members: $16 for adults, $2 for children under 18; Non-members: $26 for adults, $10 for children under 18; Groups of 12 or more: $22. For more information, call 561-233-1757 or visit this website