This weekend: Walk off those extra Thanksgiving calories at the NYC Winter

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — This Thanksgiving weekend, plan to walk off the extra poundage of pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes at the NYC Winter Lantern Festival. It’s fun for the whole family!

Previously located at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, the 2022 Festival is located steps from the Staten Island Ferry and Empire Outlets at SIUH Community Park and runs through Jan. 8, 2023. This year’s move to the FerryHawk stadium was championed by the baseball team’s president, Eric Shuffler.

I visited the Festival with my daughters, ages 19 and 22, and my 84-year-old mother. We all had a great time and the lanterns were beautiful. The installation covers more than five acres and features over 1,000 lanterns.

Since she has trouble walking long distances, my mom used her wheelchair for the outing, which worked out well because the weather was mild and the paths throughout the exhibit accommodating.

“What better location to celebrate the holidays than in Staten Island’s picturesque waterfront, only steps away from Empire Outlets and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal,” said Haokun Liu, Partner of Kaleido Arts & Entertainment Group. “Since our reopening in late October, we’ve welcomed nearly 7,000 visitors to NYC Winter Lantern location in Staten Island which is nearly double from the same time last year.

“We are looking forward to welcoming more families and visitors, especially with Thanksgiving weekend coming up, giving our guests an opportunity to get outside, enjoy the beautiful lanterns. We’ll be open as usual from Friday to Sunday.”

Indeed, there were photo ops at every turn.

Created by Kaleido Arts & Entertainment Group, the NYC Winter Lantern Festival in Staten Island is themed, “Journey to the East,” where visitors can walk and wander through a world inspired by Chinese myths and legends including a larger-than-life handmade lantern display of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, as well as mountains and seas.

Only available at the Staten Island location, the NYC Winter Lantern Festival will host live performances and family-friendly holiday tunes by Jamie Theurich, as well as a fun magic show.

Tickets are available now at www.winterlanternfestival.com.

Pro Tip: Anyone who purchases parking and shows proof can receive 10% off their purchase at Wetzel’s Pretzels, Bake Culture, Haagen Dazs, Starbucks or Clinton Hall and/or a $10 gift card if you spend $75 or more at Wasabi Hibachi Steakhouse or Nori Sushi Shop. There is also limited street parking a few blocks away from the venue, but those fill up fast so keep that in mind.

From now thru Dec. 22, 2022, the Festival’s hours are Fridays to Sundays 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., then from Dec. 23, 2022, to Jan. 8, 2023 the show will be available daily (5-9:30 p.m.). The cost is $28.99 plus service fee for adults and $17.99 plus service fee for kids.

Enjoy the colorful photos below: