"Bright Nights" gets ready to light up Denver's Four Mile Historic Park for third year in a row

Four Mile Historic Park in Denver is getting ready for its third year of Bright Nights, a lantern festival that spreads across the 12-acre park. Crews have spent weeks welding, wiring and programming the displays.

"It's all new lanterns from last year. All new lanterns compared to year one. It's new every year," said Morgan Gengenbach, Director of Operations at Four Mile Historic Park. 

This year there is a mixture of Chinese dreamland and farm flora and fauna. Many of the displays move and some are interactive. 

"We always try to bring in something Colorado-related to the festival," Gengenbach explained. 

Bright Nights is designed by Tianyu Arts and Culture, which is a Chinese lantern festival company. 

Crews from Tianyu have been in Denver for more than a month building the intricate metal sculptures with silk canvas coverings. 

"Some of it has been printed and some of it has been airbrush painted on site," Gengenbach told CBS News Colorado.

Four Mile is known for its historic working farm. Gengenbach said that they were looking for a way to light up the night.

"Offering both the historic experience during the day and this lantern festival at night really opens us up as a park to serving the community in ways they want to be served," she said.

Bright Nights is not to be missed because when the sun goes down all the mystical, magical creatures come to life.

LINK: For Tickets & Information for Bright Nights 

Four Mile Historic Park is hosting Bright Nights starting on July 23, 2025. It runs through the first weekend in October.