NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Zoolumination is returning for its second visit to the Nashville Zoo on November 18th, the first time since 2019, before COVID.

“Zoolumination” is the country’s largest Chinese lantern festival.

The pictures of the 2019 displays are just a preview of what is to come this year, from colorful scenes to mythical beasts, and dragons.

Source: Nashville Zoo
Source: Nashville Zoo

Some of the displays are hundreds of feet long and up to fifty feet tall. These scenes will be made up of more than 1,000 hand-made silk Chinese lanterns, which is double the number of lanterns in 2019.

There are also detailed scenes of animals that are described as “anatomically perfect” in their design and construction that are scattered throughout the zoo between exhibits including, of course, pandas.

Source: Nashville Zoo
Source: Nashville Zoo

Also returning will be the north pole village where kids can meet Santa Claus until December 24th.

Here are some new things on the drawing board for this year.

These are artist-designer renderings of a whale with wings, a scene of mystical deer in a colorful forest, and a feather and flower over the walkway.

Thirty-five Chinese artists and designers traveled to Nashville to put this incredible display together. Zooloomination will run from November 18th to February 4th. For a list of times and how to purchase tickets go to the Nashville Zoo’s website.