Luminosa Lights Up Florida’s Jungle Island

There’s plenty to do in Jungle Island, from “Superflights” to Adventure Bay, but early October to early January offers a truly magical experience. Jungle Island, South Florida’s popular eco-adventure attraction, reinvents an ancient Buddhist tradition with a Magic City twist through the debut of Luminosa, Festival of Lights. In partnership with Zigong Lantern Group and China Lantern International, which is the #1 industry leader in Chinese Lantern Festivals worldwide, the park will invite visitors from around the globe to marvel at a nighttime jungle filled with giant lanterns, up lit by over 1 million LED lights and beautifully hand-crafted out of colorful silk by Chinese artisans, from October 5, 2019 to January 8, 2020.

Luminosa will take guests on a memorable journey of light across 13 of the park’s 18 acres. The journey tells a magical story of the jungle, which begins with an exploration of wildlife, birds, bloom and the beautiful Biscayne Bay. It then writes a chapter into the future through a story of transformation, rooted in adventure and infused with Miami’s new vibrant urban art identity.

A few of the visual delights will include oversized orchids and flowers, a demure cassowary and striking silk parrots in the Birds and Blooms exhibit; a sea of glowing jellyfish in the Biscayne Bay display; some of the world’s rarest animals down Jungle Trail; to a 114-foot long by 26-foot tall panoramic rendition of an iconic Miami destination decked out in Chinese graffiti art in the Miami Style exhibit. All lanterns will be illuminated by environmentally-friendly LED lights and made out of water-proof and fire-resistant materials, supported by steel frames. 

Elie Mimoun, Partner at ESJ Capital Partners, owners of Jungle Island, adds: “Our vision for the evolution of Jungle Island is to include regularly scheduled events and experiences that bring the spirit of the jungle to life. Luminosa reinforces this position and appeals to all audiences in search of discovery and adventure within the context of nature and wildlife.” 

The Chinese Lantern Festival is believed to date back 2000 years ago to the Eastern Han Dynasty when Buddhist monks would light lanterns in the temples. Traditionally, the Lantern Festival marks the end of the Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival. The lanterns are thought to symbolize people letting go of their pasts and celebrating a new future, much like Jungle Island. 

Tickets for the popular festival are on sale now. Find more information here.  Follow @JungleIsland on social media, using the hashtags #JungleIsland #AdventureIsHere.