The Chinese Lantern Festival is now open at the Fairplex in Pomona, and it will remain until Jan. 6, 2019. The theme is “The Wild,” and so it presents lots of animal-shaped, handcrafted lanterns that are colorful and bright under the evening sky.
The Festival also offers a perfect opportunity for holiday family pictures, including a “Merry Christmas” cheerful backdrop. There is an inflatable play area for children, and an interactive dinosaur area for children of all ages.
You can expect to see Kung Fu and dance demonstrations, and perhaps to do some holiday shopping in the craft marketplace, which offers Chinese jewelry, dough figurines, embroidery, and more.
Food and drink are available for purchase (but know that a combo of rice, entrée, eggroll and drink is $16!). No outside food is allowed. No pets are allowed except service dogs.
I walked through the whole park within an hour; with children you could be there from 2 to 3 hours.
Online tickets are cheaper ($6 higher at the door), so pre-purchase at ChineseLanternFestival.com. The Festival is open Thursday through Sunday, from 5:30 pm to 10 pm (last chance of entry at 9:20 pm).
The address is 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768. Enter through Gate 17.
