By Charlene Bisson
Mail | X: @charlene_bisson

The first-ever Tianyu Lights Festival is lighting up  Glendale  at the spring training home of the World Series champions. 

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The Tianyu Lights Festival is an  interactive nighttime walk-through experience for all ages that brings nature and art together through visual, cultural and light effects.  

The festival is open 5:30-10:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday through Jan. 5, 2025 at  Camelback Ranch, 10710 W. Camelback Road, Glendale, which is  the spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.

The walk-through boasts  more than 40 sets of larger-than-life lantern sculptures that are crafted by skilled artisans using metal, steel, fabric, and LED lights. People can also read up on the history of dozens of baseball legends while enjoying the show.

The walk-through experience has four themed sections. Upon entering the festival, guests are welcomed by an illuminated forest showcasing critters and plants from across wetlands, deserts, and rainforests. Of note is the three-story, color-changing “butterfly tree” that serves as the area’s centerpiece, meant to illustrate the importance of nature preservation. Next, guests are treated to a whimsical wonderland with unicorns, fairies, and fire-breathing dragons, which symbolize vibrant and colorful dreams.

The third section, nicknamed “Panda Land,” boasts a kid-friendly stretch of panda sculptures, many animated to encourage interaction and photos, connecting the event to its Asian roots.

The fourth and final section of the Festival is an ocean-themed odyssey with displays of common and endangered sea animals. The experience concludes with an epic grand finale through a 100-foot shark tunnel.

The festival also features a marketplace where guests can purchase souvenirs, food and drinks.

Tickets  are $18 for children ages 3-11 and $25 for 12 and older. Parking for the event is $10 per car if purchased in advance, or $15 at the gate. Advance purchase is highly recommended.  Children younger than 3 are free. 

Event organizer Tianyu Arts & Culture has produced similar light festivals in more than 39 cities across the United States and in Europe for the past 10 years. Similar events hosted by Tianyu Arts & Culture have been on tour in Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, Boston as well as internationally across Germany, Belgium and Paris.  A portion of event proceeds will stay local to benefit the community. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.tianyuculture.us/phoenix.   

Editor's note: Alison Bialin contributed to this story.

Charlene Bisson
President & CEO

Cbisson@iniusa.org

Meet Charlene
Charlene Bisson joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 1999, starting her career as a journalist in Glendale, then covering Surprise a year later. She became publisher of the West Valley during the Great Recession and later promoted publisher of the Arizona group in 2018.  In January 2022, she was promoted to President & CEO of INI.

Community: She serves on the Arizona Media Association Board of Directors, The Phoenix Children’s Hospital West Valley Board, and the Liberty Lions Baseball Booster. She also supports the Peoria Diamond Club as a member.

Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, with a minor in Business. 

Random Fact: She hiked the Grand Canyon twice from top to bottom in one day.  

Hobbies: Writing fiction and playing the piano for fun. Hiking, swimming, and working out at the gym.