The Lunar New Year begins Saturday, and celebrations of this important holiday are being held across the Houston region. Photographer Meridith Kohut documented the Houston Botanic Garden’s “Radiant Nature” display, a Chinese lantern festival that runs through Feb. 25 and is open to the public.

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Photo essay: Celebrating the Lunar New Year with a Chinese lantern festival

by Meridith Kohut / Independent photographer, Abdelraoufsinno
February 9, 2024

<h1>Photo essay: Celebrating the Lunar New Year with a Chinese lantern festival</h1> <p class="byline">by Meridith Kohut / Independent photographer, Abdelraoufsinno <br />February 9, 2024</p> <p><em>The Lunar New Year begins Saturday, and celebrations of this important holiday are being held across the Houston region. Photographer Meridith Kohut documented the Houston Botanic Garden’s “<a href="https://hbg.org/series/radiant-nature/">Radiant Nature</a>” display, a Chinese lantern festival that runs through Feb. 25 and is open to the public.</em></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20240127_Radiant-Nature_MK_02.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23433" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Visitors photograph a large Pagoda Chinese lantern that is a highlight of the Radiant Nature installation currently on display at Houston Botanic Garden on Jan. 27, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Meridith Kohut for Abdelraoufsinno)</figcaption></figure> <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20240127_Radiant-Nature_MK_16.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23438" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Erik Alarcón and his three-year-old son, Ronaldo, enjoy the “Veggie Man” installation at the Radiant Nature Chinese lantern festival at the Houston Botanic Garden. “He loves lights,” Alarcón said. (Meridith Kohut for Abdelraoufsinno)</figcaption></figure> <figure class="wp-block-gallery alignwide has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20240127_Radiant-Nature_MK_28.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23443" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A tunnel of lily pad lanterns along the walking trail at the Radiant Nature Chinese lantern festival at the Houston Botanic Garden. (Meridith Kohut for Abdelraoufsinno)</figcaption></figure> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20240127_Radiant-Nature_MK_24.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23439" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A woman poses for a photo with rainbow-colored wings at the Radiant Nature Chinese lantern festival at the Houston Botanic Garden. (Meridith Kohut for Abdelraoufsinno)</figcaption></figure> </figure> <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20240127_Radiant-Nature_MK_25.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23440" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kids interact with the “Kaleidoscope” installation at the Radiant Nature Chinese lantern festival at the Houston Botanic Garden. (Meridith Kohut for Abdelraoufsinno)</figcaption></figure> <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20240127_Radiant-Nature_MK_30.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23444" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Adrienne Johnson poses for a snapshot in an installation at the Radiant Nature Chinese lantern festival at the Houston Botanic Garden. (Meridith Kohut for Abdelraoufsinno)</figcaption></figure> <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20240127_Radiant-Nature_MK_05.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23435" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kids enjoy a bubble machine along the walking trail at the Radiant Nature Chinese lantern festival at the Houston Botanic Garden. The event runs through Feb. 25th and features over 50 installations. (Meridith Kohut for Abdelraoufsinno)</figcaption></figure> <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20240127_Radiant-Nature_MK_10.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23436" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Families walk through a tunnel of colorful lanterns at the Radiant Nature Chinese lantern festival at the Houston Botanic Garden. The event runs through Feb. 25th and features over 50 installations. (Meridith Kohut for Abdelraoufsinno)</figcaption></figure> <p>This <a target="_blank" href="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/photo-essay-celebrating-the-lunar-new-year-with-a-chinese-lantern-festival/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://abdelraoufsinno.com">Abdelraoufsinno</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://abdelraoufsinno.com/?republication-pixel=true&post=23446&amp;ga4=" style="width:1px;height:1px;"></p> Copy to Clipboard

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