NC Chinese Lantern Festival closed for season after storm damage

The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival is ending five days early after Tuesday night's severe storms caused damage to a festival centerpiece and other lanterns.

The festival, which was scheduled to end Sunday, Jan. 14, is now closed for the season.

The festival venue itself, Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre, was not damaged in Tuesday's storms, but a spokesperson said two of the festival's largest lanterns -- the dragon boat on the lake and a palace exhibit -- were damaged.

"So when we found the damage to that one, we knew it was going to take heavy equipment to get it fixed, it would take several days to get that fixed, and honestly we just don't have enough time," said William Lewis, Cary's cultural arts manager.

According to Lewis, it could take between 3 to 4 weeks to get everything cleaned up. On Thursday, crews were focused on breaking down the tall structures ahead of more possible storms on Friday.

Organizers originally planned to reopen the festival Wednesday night before crews noticed significant structural damage.

Sky 5 flew overhead Wednesday at 1 p.m. as crews were clearing debris from the festival grounds.

A statement released Thursday read: "The decision comes as festival engineers completed their thorough evaluations of the lantern displays and it was apparent that some of the larger, signature displays suffered severe structural damage from the storms earlier this week. Engineers concluded that proper repairs could not be completed in time before the festival’s scheduled conclusion."

“Our heart breaks for those who had plans to attend the Festival in its final few days,” said Lewis. “Public safety is paramount, and we appreciate the careful analysis and thoughtful conversations with all stakeholders in making this joint decision. It’s a reminder that these grand outdoor art exhibits are ephemeral, and we enjoy and appreciate them while they are here.”

People who already purchased rickets will get an email with refund options.

The festival, which was in its eighth season in Cary, will return Nov. 22.