The
Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
at the NC Chinese Lantern Festival
in Cary, North Carolina
in 2022, 2023, and 2024 |
This festival only visits a
few spots around the country each year. Lee and Karen Duquette drove
here to Cary, North Carolina on January 3, 2022, November 21, 2023 and
again on December 5, 2024. All visits are combined on this multiple
page site, and each set of photos are tabled by date.
In 2022 the tickets cost $60 for the two of them.
In 2023, the tickets cost $75 for the two of them.
In 2024 the tickets cost $76 for the two of them.
Parking was free in in 2022 and 2023, but was $15 in 2024. So in 2024,
Lee Duquette parked in a free lot, that was only a short walk to entry
gate. Obviously, by combining all three years, this is a multiple page
site. And of course, most things change a bit each year. |
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On January 3, 2022, The two
RV Gypsies drove 3 hours to the Koka Booth Amphitheatre for the NC Chinese
Lantern Festival, only to find that they had an electrical shortage
because the adjoining river overflowed. But they took a few photos from
outside the Koka Booth Amphitheatre. |
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Below:
Since they could not enter yet on this date, Karen Duquette peeked through
the locked fence for a glimpse at the dragon in 2022. (Of course, better
views of the dragon will be seen once they get to enter the area) |
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Two days later,
Lee and Karen Duquette returned in the evening and were admitted into
the Koka Booth Amphitheatre for the event. It was a COLD night. |
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Below:
The 2022 entry into the NC Chinese Lantern Festival was brightly lit.
(In 2023, it was pouring rain, as Lee and Karen Duquette entered the
dragon festival, so she did not photograph the entry way in 2023.) |
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Below:
THE LANTERN TUNNEL. The inside entry was lined with hundreds of Chinese
Lanterns, which are different each year. These are the 2022 lanterns
which Lee and Karen Duquette really liked a lot. Hundreds of larger-than-life
lanterns of all shapes made for an incredible, colorful adventure for
them to walk through, photograph and enjoy. The 2022 festival was handcrafted
and assembled by more than 25 visiting Chinese artisans and performers.
Plus 2,500 lanterns and more than 15,000 LED lights made ups 36 distinct
displays. Many displays had movement. |
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Below:
Karen Duquette only took a couple of close-up photos of a few lanterns
in the entry way because they wanted to see as much stuff as they could
before a lot of people arrived. |
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Below:
The Lantern Tunnel in 2023. Once again, Lee and Karen Duquette were
two of the first dozen people entering (it was raining lightly), and
they wanted to see as much as they could before it got crowded. Karen
Duquette thought she would take more photos on the way out, but did
not because by then it was nighttime and they were a bit tired from
all of the walking. |
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Below: A few
close up photos of just a few of the designs on the lanterns shown above
in 2023. |
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Below: The same
entry in 2024. Again, everything was different. |
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Below:
In 2024, the lanterns in the Lantern Tunnel were bright and colorful,
but they did not have any design. So again, Karen Duquette felt that
the best lanterns were in 2022, as shown above. |
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Below: Beautiful
Dragons just inside the entryway in 2022 |
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Below: The Dragon
Head in 2022 |
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Below: These two
photos were taken when Lee and Karen Duquette first arrived in 2022.
The wooden deck was still wet from the rain that ended shortly after
they entered the display area. Well, a few sprinkles still occurred
now and then
throughout the evening. |
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Below: Karen Duquette
took a photo of the same display as they were ready to leave the area.
This colorful dragon head opened and closed its mouth and the eyeballs
also opened and closed. |
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Below: After
passing through the food court area in 2022, and descending a few stairs,
Karen Duquette could not resist swinging on the uniquely shaped swings
that were circular and kept changing colors. She only stayed on the
swing a short time, because there was so much to see in the area before
the big crowd of people arrive. |
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Adults were not allowed on the swings when the two RV Gypsies returned
here in 2023 so Karen Duquette got chased away from the swings even
though nobody else was on them at the time. But she did take one photo
of the swings. Note how different the decor behind the swings are from
last year. Then Karen Duquette zoomed in on the helicopter that was
in the far background behind the swings and can barely be seen in the
first photograph. |
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But in 2024, Karen Duquette was able to swing briefly
on the swings because no "guards" were nearby. Notice how
the swing kept changing colors. She only spent a brief time on the
swing because she wanted to explore as much as possible before the
crowds came.
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Below: Near the
swings in 2022, Karen and Lee Duquette headed for the tunnel. But along
the way, Karen stopped to play on the stars that changed colors when
stepped on. |
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Below: In 2022,
Lee and Karen Duquette walked through the tunnel (shown above) that
changed colors and looked very different from the inside than it did
from the outside. The outside was much prettier than the inside of the
tunnel (as shown above). But several people were in the tunnel, so they
did not take many photos while in the tunnel. |
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Below:
The tunnel was very different in 2023 and much nicer than the tunnel
shown above in 2022. It was labeled the "Phoenix Corridor"
and was really colorful and beautiful. |
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Below: The lighting
on the Phoenix Corridor arch kept changing colors in 2023. |
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Below: Karen Duquette standing in front of the Phoenix's tail (as
shown below)
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Below: The Phoenix
Corridor at night-time in 2023 |
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add the 2024 tunnel here |
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Below: Just
outside of the tunnel in 2022, there was a bird and a panda under colorful
trees |
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In 2022, Lee and
Karen Duquette entered a mirrored kaleidoscope cave with flashing, changing
colors. There were a lot of people wanting to get inside this small
area to take their own photos, so since the two RV Gypsies always try
to be polite, they did not stay in it very long and only took a few
photos. They tried to return here later, but the kaleidoscope cave was
always full of people. |
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Below: Karen and Lee Duquette inside the kaleidoscope
cave in 2023 that had colored lights on all four sides of the display,
plus lights hanging from the ceiling. Several people were also inside
at this time, so it was difficult to take better photos. |
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In 2024, Lee and Karen Duquette
entered the kaleidoscope cave before any other visitors got there. This
year it had dangling strips that kept changing colors. It was not as
impressive as it was in 2022 or 2023. |
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Next, in 2022,
came a robot that slowly lit up different parts of his body, and then
he totally flashed. |
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Below: One of
Karen Duquette's favorite areas in 2022 - The Beautiful Swans |
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Below: Across
from the swans, Karen Duquette loved the Rhino and an adorable Leopard |
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Below: Flowers
in 2022 |
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Below: The same
flower are as shown above, but now in 2023 |
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