China Lights returns to Boerner Botanical Gardens for 'Year of the Dragon'

HALES CORNERS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- It's the seventh year that Boerner Botanical Gardens is hosting China Lights. The festival brings elaborate handmade Chinese lanterns to Hales Corners. 

This year's theme is Year of the Dragon. 

"The dragon is the most powerful and mysterious animal in Chinese mythology, and it's a very important symbol of the empire families," said An Li, event manager with Tianyu Arts & Culture.

Dragons and zodiac signs are a big part of the lantern festival, but you'll also find flowers, fruit and other popular Chinese mythology throughout Boerner for the next six weeks. 

One big eyecatcher at China Lights is the new 48-foot-tall dragon that is debuting in the U.S. for the first time ever. 

China Lights opens Friday, Sept. 13 and runs through Oct. 27.