The Chinese Lantern Festival made for some beautiful sights last year, so it's great to see that it's returning this year, and will be running all summer long! This year, lanterns will focus primarily on three Chinese dynasties, the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE), the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Lanterns will demonste each dynasty's advances and milestones in Chinese culture and history, such as the unification of China, the construction of the Great Wall, and the rise of Chinese art, culture, and poetry.

One interesting factoid is that guessing lantern riddles at Lantern Festivals began sometime in the Tang dynasty, so that should be something to look out for during the festival.

Lanterns at the festival will be authentically crafted by Chinese Master Craftsmen from the China Colour Lantern Museum of Zigong, China.

The Rogers (obligatory corporate sponsorship) Chinese Lantern Festival runs from July 19th to October 7th from 7pm-10pm (and 5/6-10pm in the fall months) at Ontario Place. Adult ticket prices run for a slightly-obscene-but-hopefully-worth-it $25, and can be purchased at the park.

Photo by blogTO Flickr pool contributor --Steve--. If you happen to attend the festival, as always, feel free to contribute photos to the pool!