Dragon Lights

We went with family to see Dragon Lights, now at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus, and had a blast!

Although they are timing the event to coincide with the Christmas season, when there are many Christmas light displays happening, Dragon Lights are actually a Chinese cultural experience instead. (I actually wish they were timed to coincide with the Lunar New Year, when more light displays would be a welcome antidote to winter. But the sun sets later by February, so December must work best for them.) I was concerned that the light display might not take very long to see, and we planned to go to one of the indoor live cultural performances with dancers, acrobats, and Chinese yo-yo demonstrations. But we ended up being so captivated by the lights, we just kept wandering. While many of the displays are meant to be seen from the path, many are also interactive in various ways. There was a large section with round lights set into the ground that turned color when stepped on, and ring shaped swings, lit from within. There were also many sculptures that were meant to be walked through. This is a display that definitely appeals to all ages, and is not just aimed at young kids.

It's a very large display that requires a couple of hours to see it all at your leisure. The paths are paved, which is nice. Despite the fact that it's an outdoor display, there's no need to worry about mud. They do cancel if it rains. If you have purchased advance tickets and they cancel, they will let you use your tickets on a different day. But if you can't easily readjust your visit, you'll want to check the forecast carefully before buying tickets, and bundle up well so you will be comfortable being outside for a couple of hours. It was very popular the day we went, and we were glad we arrived before it opened. Later on, the number of visitors would have made picture taking more challenging. It was magical! I definitely hope to make it an annual event.