Destination: It's not just about the lanterns; check out the spectacular performers at Cary's Chinese Lantern Festival

But this now annual event also features some really spectacular traditional Chinese performances. From Chinese contortion to face-changing and more, visitors can see all kinds of talent.

Performances are at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and are included with your admission to the festival. When we went, my entire family was absolutely mesmerized by the talent, flexibility and artistry of the performers on stage.

Here are some of the incredible performances, with descriptions courtesy of the festival, that you'll see on stage at the Lantern Festival. It runs through Jan. 14.

In Buddhist traditions, the drum is used as a signal to gather people. It is a popular Chinese folk instrument dating to ancient times and has been used to tell time and for sacrificial, military and religious ceremonies as well as for dancing, weddings, festivals and other occasions. Performer Yan Hui, a nationally recognized percussionist in China, is on stage in Cary.

This ancient Chinese dramatic art is part of the Sichuan Opera, in which performers wear brightly colored costumes and move to quick, dramatic music. They also wear vividly colored masks, which they change from one face to another almost instantaneously with the swipe of a fan, movement of the head or wave of the hand. Performing in Cary, Liu Xia is an experienced dramatic artist from China's Sichuan Province, who began performing at age 12.

Diabolo is a form of juggling that has evolved from the 12th century Chinese yo-yo and consists of an axle and two discs spun using string attached to two hand sticks. Performers Yi Xiaoli and Zou Jie are on stage for this and traditional plate spinning, which is up next.

The Chinese acrobatic performance requires great skill and balance. Performers use a stick to spin plates.

This acrobatic form has thousands of years of history in China and is among the most popular traditional acrobatic performances. It's described as "a body art exceeding the limits of the body." Performer Chen Meimei is on stage in Cary to demonstrate.

A Chinese calligraphy artist also will be onsite. Tickets to the lantern festival are $15 for adults and $10 for kids ages 3 to 17. Parking is free. The Chinese Lantern Festival is open 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays.