The OC Lantern Festival will ring in the Year of the Dragon with a celebration on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. This is a family-friendly festival that will feature music and dance performances, storytelling, riddles, art-making activities, food and of course, the lighting of the lanterns.
Presented in partnership by Pacific Symphony and South Coast Chinese Cultural Center/Irvine Chinese School, The Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall will be adorned with traditional floating lanterns to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and the public can view performances by talented local musicians and dancers.
Lunar New Year will be observed beginning Saturday, February 10, 2024 and ends on Saturday, February 24, 2024.
Be sure to check out all Orange County Lunar New Year events.
Traditionally, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, two weeks after Chinese New Year, the Chinese Lantern Festival or Yuan Xiao Jie or Yuanxiao Festival (元宵节), is celebrated. It marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) period.
On the night of the Chinese Lantern Festival, streets are decorated with colorful lanterns, often with riddles written on them. People eat sweet rice balls called tangyuan, watch dragon and lion dances, and set off fireworks.
OC Lantern Festival
Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
Address: 615 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Date/Times
Saturday, March 2, 2024 | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Admission
FREE! However, tickets are required for each person entering the concert hall including babies. Tickets can be obtained online and printed at home.
Get Free Tickets
To get free tickets for the OC Lantern Festival performances inside the concert hall, select a General Admission $0.00 ticket when choosing your seating section.
Entry to the concert hall will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis during the event. Ticketed guests receive priority access, but immediate admission can not be guaranteed due to venue capacity.
*Tickets are not required to participate in outdoor activities in Argyros Plaza.*
Directions
Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located east of South Coast Plaza on Bristol and Town Center Drive with easy access from the 55 and 405 Freeways. Parking structures are located in the following locations:
- Plaza Tower Parking Structure: Anton Blvd. and Park Center Drive
- Park Center Parking Structure: Sunflower Ave. and Park Center Drive (can also be accessed from Town Center Drive)
- Center Tower Parking Structure: Sunflower Ave. and Park Center Drive (Can also be accessed from Town Center Drive)
Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall will also host a Lunar New Year Concert on Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 8:00PM. The celebration includes festive dance performances with a fusion of musical traditions from East and West. Details and tickets can be found here.
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