China Lights

Boerner Botanical Gardens
Hales Corners,
Wisconsin

Boerner Botanical Gardens
Hales Corners,
Wisconsin

Parking

Close-up paid parking is available next to the entrance of the festival. The same parking lot has limited number of free ADA parking on a first come first serve basis.

Close-up paid parking is sold on-site ONLY at a first come first serve basis. Paid parking is $15/car and payment by cash and card. More free parking is available throughout Whitnall Park, and shuttle bus runs nightly from 5:30 pm to 10:15 pm. Please follow signs and instructions from parking staff.

Close-up Parking Lot (Lot 1)

Close-up Parking Lot (Lot 1)

The Close-up Parking Lot will offer paid parking nearest the China Lights entrance. Pass for this  lot may be purchased on-site only.

  • Close-up Parking: $15 – Cash & Card
  • First come first serve 

  • Limited quantity daily

 

Complimentary Do-It-Yourself Parking 

Limited complimentary parking is available on a first come, first served basis. There are 4 fully lit lots. Follow the signs and instructions of parking staff to gain access to the parking areas. There are shuttle services from outer lots 4 & 5 to the entrance. *Wet and/or muddy conditions may close grass lots for a 2-3 day dry out procedure.

Bag Policy

To enhance ballpark safety, China Lights festivals is prohibiting multi-compartment bags and implementing a single-compartment bag policy. Single-compartment bags 9″x5″x2″ or smaller, clear single-compartment sized 12″x12’x’6″ or smaller, and one-gallon clear zip lock bags will be allowed. Exceptions will be made for diaper bags and medically necessary items (maximum size 16″x16″x8″). 

The following items will be permitted to be brought into China Lights festival and might be subject to inspection at the entrance area:

  • Single-compartment sized 9″x5″x2″ or smaller 
  • Single-compartment sized 12″x12’x’6″ or smaller 
  • One-gallon clear zip lock bags
  • Strollers, Wheelchairs, Umbrellas
  • Single-compartment sized 12″x12’x’6″ or smaller 

 

The following items are not allowed to be brought into China Lights festival and might be subject to inspection at the entrance area:

  • All backpacks, regardless of size or style
  • Any Multi-Compartment Bags
  • Any Assault Weapon
  • Laser Pointers
  • Noise Makers (including whistles)
  • Any outside food or drink (except for infant or medical use)
  • Pets (except for registered service animals)
 

food & beverage

T.Best Kettle Korn

Fresh popped Kettle corn


Uyghur Grill

Charcoal grilled lamb kebab

Chinese burger


Gift of Wings Grill

Jumbo All-Beef Hot Dog

Angus All-Beef Burgers

….and more!


Tanpopo

Sweet & Sour Chicken with Egg Roll

Asian Street Pork Bowl with Egg Roll

…and more! 


Mil-wok-ee Asian Street Food

Crab Rangoon

Hot & Sour Soup

…and more!


Po’Manz Food

Tater Tots

Coconut Yah Manz Shrimp

…and more!


Bar Menu

Draft Beer

Bottled/Can Beer

Non-Alcoholic


Annabelles Menu

Bottled/Can Beer

Coffee

…and more!

Need Help?

Faq

Be prepared for your visit to China Lights by reading through the most common questions our visitors ask.
Need additional help? Please contact us.

China Lights is an event that celebrates the art, skill, and beauty of traditional Chinese lantern festivals that have been celebrated across Asia for the last 400 years. This has been accomplished through an almost two-month long building process where about 40 exhibits, made of more than 1,000 components, are welded together, covered with colored fabric, and then hand painted. These displays are then illuminated with LED lighting to complete the amazing visual experience. The show site is approximately 9 acres and has a 3/4 of a mile route that includes some steps and uneven surfaces. We recommend 2 hours to experience the entire exhibition. In addition to the lighted displays there are multiple nightly performances of classic Chinese arts. Performance times are posted at the stages nightly. There are also displays and videos highlighting the Chinese culture in the Garden House. Asian and American food is available for purchase along with beer and non-alcoholic beverages in the Shrub Mall and the Perennial Mall.
China lights is being held at the Boerner Botanical Gardens, 9400 Boerner Dr., Hales Corners, Wisconsin. The Botanical Gardens are located in the northeast corner of Whitnall Park and is about 3 minutes west of Southridge Mall in Greenfield, Wisconsin. See location details.

Tickets are available online and at the box office in front of the festival entrance when the event is open. A limited amount of discounted everyday General Admission tickets are also available at Festival Foods stores in the Milwaukee and Madison area. Please check our ticket page for more information. 

Yes! Ticket holders can change the date and time of their tickets up to 1 hour BEFORE the event starts. To move the date and time slot of your tickets, please follow instructions of this link here.

Tickets date and time cannot be changed AFTER The event starts.

Yes! If you would like to transfer the ownership of your ticket to another person, you can do so from your Universe account. Tickets can only be transferred individually. Once a ticket has been transferred, the action cannot be undone. Any order with a transferred ticket will become non-refundable. For more information on how to transfer your tickets, please check the link here

We have 3 time slots on all event days

5:00pm time slot ticket holders must enter the festival any time between 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm.
6:30pm time slot ticket holders must enter the festival any time between 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.
8:00pm time slot ticket holders must enter the festival any time betwen 8:00 pm – 9:30pm.
Last entry to the festival will be at 9:30PM.

Once you enter the festival, you may stay until the end of the night at 10:00 pm.

We will have limited parking spaces near the front gate to the show available on a FREE first-come, first-served basis with state-issued disabled parking or disabled Veteran parking license plates, or the state-issued disabled parking identification card.

 

These limited spaces are located in the Staff Parking Lot and are accessed through the entry at 92nd Street and College Avenue. Additional parking will be offered on a limited basis, which may include grassy areas. This is also first-come, first-served.

The show does not have wheelchairs available for rent. The show site is approximately 3/4 of a mile and does include some steps and uneven surfaces. All displays can be viewed from garden paths. Multiple vantage points are available for some displays. 

This is an outdoor event – rain, snow or shine. Please check current weather conditions for your visit and dress appropriately. In the unlikely event of a weather caused cancellation, patrons within the show grounds will be given rain checks for a subsequent show. **Severe weather ( i.e. lighting, flooding, etc.) will require us to close for safety** 

All tickets include admission to view the displays, exhibits and nightly stage performance. 

Yes! For groups of 10 adults (Age 11 and above) and above, we offer 20% on General Admission tickets. Group tickets are available as a ticket type and the group rate is already applied in the ticket price. Group discounts are only available only, and not available at the festival box office. 

Yes, there are many volunteer opportunities are available! We need Line-Minders, Docents, and Exit Guides. Each volunteer can earn a free ticket to the festival, and an invitation to the staff-appreciation party. Positions must commit to two nights per week (3-4 hours a night) for the duration of the festival.

China Lights is open Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm (closed Mondays). The onsite box office is open from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm, but it may close early if attendance exceeds the venue’s capacity limit.  The Visitor and Education Center building will be closed at 4:00 p.m. daily during China Lights.

 

Guests may get near displays, but please do not touch, climb on, or go over rope lines around displays. We want to reduce wear and tear as much as possible.

Limited complimentary parking is available on a first come, first served basis. There are 6 fully lit lots. Follow the signs, maps on tickets, and radio broadcasts to gain access to the parking areas. There are shuttle services from outer lots (Lots #4,5,6) to the entrance. *Wet and/or muddy conditions may close grass lots for a 2-3 day dry out procedure.

 

Regular admission rates to Boerner Botanical Gardens apply during daytime hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Sunday. The Gardens will close at 4:30 p.m. Both will reopen for China Lights at 5:00 p.m. 

Persons presenting a ticket assume all risks incidental to the event. Tickets are all date and time specific. There is no refund due to rain, power outages, and/or other unforeseen conditions. There are no refunds for unused tickets. In the unlikely event of a weather caused cancellation, patrons on the grounds will be given rain checks for a subsequent show. No reciprocal garden admissions or Friends of Boerner Botanical Garden Memberships are valid during the China Lights special event.

Photography of the displays and performances is allowed but please do not touch, climb on, or go over rope lines around displays. By attending the event, you give permission to have your image and/or likeness reproduced for promotional and/or advertising purposes and/or by the media in print or digital formats.

These items are not allowed into China Lights: carry-in food or beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), illegal drugs and controlled substances, weapons or objects that could be used as weapons, outside brochures or pamphlets, pets/animals (except service animals), lawn chairs, skateboards or skates, kites, Frisbees, or other carry-ins as determined by management. Outside vendors are not allowed into China Lights or on Milwaukee County Parks property without a valid permit. China Lights Officials reserve the right to eject any person violating any law, rule, or policy.

Yes, China Lights will offer closeup paid parking. These will be limited (approximately 100 spots per night) in the paved lot closest to the front gate. The cost of this parking will be $10.00 and will only be sold onsite at a first-come-first servce basis. Both cash and card will be accepted. 

This parking lot is accessed through the entry at 92nd Street and College Aveune. 

The lost and found is operated in the office inside the Garden House during show hours. During daytime hours the information stand inside the Boerner Botanical Garden atrium can assist with lost items. 

For the enjoyment of all those attending this event, we do not allow animals except for registered service animals. 

This event is a smoke-free event. No smoking of any kind will be allowed. This includes vaping. 

Sorry, we do not offer refunds for unused tickets, but you may transfer or change the date and time of your tickets. 

The lanterns are taken apart by the Chinese artisans and technicians. Then they are carefully packed to move to the next show site to be rebuilt and refreshed. They are not available for purchase.

 

Absolutely! Guests may take photos, but please do not touch, climb on, or go over rope lines around displays. Due to the large volume of people only monopods are allowed until 9:30 p.m. each night.  After 9:30 p.m. you would be welcome to use a tripod.  Keep in mind the show does close at 10:00 p.m.