Lerner Town Square — Attraction in Tysons

Winter Lantern Festival!

This was definitely something for toddlers, preschoolers, or very young children. We had tickets for 5pm. Not all of the lights were set up and everything was VERY much smaller than advertised. It was freezing so standing in line over twenty minutes more than we needed was not pleasant. There were two port a potties but they had no lightning in that area. The greeting staff was very nice. They hand out feathered crowns that light up. However, the rollercoaster was never turned on the entire time we were there. There was no entertainment that was advertised. Maybe an hour after we were there a man with an electric guitar came and sang songs on a small stage. The “wish gifts” read New York instead of DMV so that was a waste of money. It is just a cheap string light inside of glass. It was very generic. Attendance cost should be no more than $5-$10 for the experience. The best part was a food truck that sold hot chocolate and brought their own standing source of heat. Maybe 2 people could stand under that. No other heat source was available. There were cheap toys that flickered when they shouldn’t have that cost $20. Would not return or recommend. Not enough lights. Small and not as good as what was advertised....

For sure it is beautiful, the figures and theme are very interesting. Parking spaces, a few across the street, mostly you need to park in the Tysons Galeria mall garage. Thicket Price, the cheapest time is 21.99$ per person, plus tax and fees, A couple of food trucks and a very basic live music inside a tent were also available. While it is a good idea for a family to visit and go there are some negative points:

We bought our tickets online, and there was a wish jar purchase option available. We got one. Issues: first, not similar to the traditional Chinese wish jar. Don't buy it, the jar is mostly for kids. Second, nobody was there to tell us how and where we should go to get that jar, it was a hidden "search to find" part of the show! No info about those Chinese themes was available. Many traditional Chinese themes, shown in a lantern, have stories and tales, but, nothing there to give...

Lerner Town Sq. is a great location for an event venue and offers easy access on and off 495, rt. 7, rt. 123, and George Washington Memorial Drwy. I've been there five times to see Cirque du Soleil shows, both on weekends and weekdays, so I'm a happy repeat visitor. The acoustics here are great and the crowds are manageable. There is plenty of space for shopping under the Big Top and some step-and-repeats outside for great photo opportunities.

Parking: There is a parking garage directly across the event venue, which they charge for during Cirque du Soleil shows, but not sure about other shows. Alternatively, the metro's Silver Line is on the other side of Lerner Town Sq., opposite side where the...