Missed the recent Coldplay concert? Or faced disappointment at the Singapore Sky Lantern Festival? You can still catch a sky full of stars – or lanterns – at one of these lantern festivals around the world.
As a little girl, one of the highlights of the Mid Autumn Festival would be the tradition of buying and carrying lanterns around the neighbourhood. There would be cool inflatable lanterns with colourful lights and weirdly-tuned music, but the OGs would know that the paper lanterns were the most fun. We would swing them around vicariously to see if the little candle would get snuffed out (they never did), or if the whole lantern would catch fire ‘by accident’.
I guess that’s the danger they faced at the recent inaugural Singapore Sky Lantern Festival. Participants were disappointed as they found out that the organisers did not get the proper permits to allow the event to go ahead as planned, some having queued for hours the day of the festival. But not to worry because we’ve got you covered. If you were at the event, or are just looking for a lantern festival to experience, we’ve got you covered. Here are 8 lantern festivals around the world to check out 👇
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8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024:
1. St. John’s Night, Poland
Image credits: Flickr
Also known as Noc Kupaly, the festival is celebrated in Pozman, Poland and marks the shortest night of the year. Those who are looking to start a family or simply want to pen down their well-wishes, gather at the festival to release a total of almost 8,000 lanterns each year.
📅 Date: 20 June 2024
📍 Location: Released closer to the date
8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024: Check out the festival here
2. Marine Day Festival, Odaiba Japan
Image credits: 9GAG
Marine Day of Umi no Hi is celebrated on the third Monday of July to mark the importance of the ocean. Thousands of colourful lanterns are lit along the beach against the backdrop of the river and the city lights.
📅 Date: Mid-July
📍 Location: Odaiba Seaside Park, 1 Chome-4 Daiba, Minato City, Tokyo 135-0091, Japan
8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024: Check out the festival here
3. Rise Lantern Festival, Las Vegas USA
Image credits: Travel Nevada
The annual festival is held just outside of Las Vegas in the Mojave Desert in Nevada. Every participant receives two lanterns, a marker, and a mat, and is encouraged to pen down their prayers, dreams, or resolutions before releasing them. Lanterns are made of biodegradable material as part of its sustainability program.
📅 Dates: 4-5 October 2024
📍 Location: Mojave Desert, Nevada
8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024: Check out the festival here
4. Yi Peng Festival, Chiang Mai Thailand
Image credits: 500px ISO
This festival marks the end of the rice harvest season and is a way for locals to thank the water goddess for the supply of water for their crops and to ask for forgiveness for any misdeeds. Traditionally, locals send their Krathong (a basket made of a banana stalk) with incense and candles and release them into rivers and small canals.
📅 Dates: 16 November
📍 Location: 9 Ban Sa Ha Khon, On Klang, Mae On District, Chiang Mai 50130, Thailand
8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024: Check out the festival here
5. Shinnyo Lantern Floating, Hawaii USA
Image credits: Rove
This festival is celebrated on Memorial Day in Honolulu where locals head to the beach to pay tribute to the deceased. Besides releasing lanterns into the water with the beautiful Hawaiian sunset, there are symbolic ceremonies like shell-blowing and onjiki offerings to remember the dead.
📅 Dates: 27 May 2024
📍 Location: Ala Moana Beach Park 1201 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96814, United States
8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024: Check out the festival here
6. Hoi An Lantern Festival, Hoi An Vietnam
Image credits: Jacky Vietnam Travel
The Hoi An Lantern Festival is a monthly event that celebrates the full moon in the city of Hoi An. It’s held on the 14th day of each lunar month when the moon is the fullest and brightest. You’ll find the city littered with lanterns and candles and lead up to the Hoai River. Electricity is kept to a minimum so the whole town is illuminated by the natural glow from the lanterns.
📅 Dates: Check website for monthly dates
📍 Location: V8GG+HH4, Cầu, An Hội, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam
8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024: Check out the festival here
7. Pingxi Lantern Festival, Shifen Taiwan
Image credits: Taiwan Tourism
Although this festival has already passed, it’s worth mentioning. Plan your next trip in 2025! The annual Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is one of the best festivals around the world, attracting visitors to the small hillside town of Shifen to release an astounding 100,000 – 200,000 rice paper lanterns. Besides the festival, you can visit the town all year round to release lanterns from the train tracks of Shifen.
📅 Date: Last day of Lunar New Year
📍 Location: 十分停車場 226, Taiwan, New Taipei City, Pingxi District
8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024: Check out the festival here
8. Spring Lantern Festival
Image credits: BBC
Another worthwhile festival is the Spring Lantern Festival in China — more specifically Yuan Xiao Jie. It’s slightly different because lanterns aren’t released, but streets are decorated to the nines with colourful lanterns, and littered with dragon and lion dance performances, fireworks, and tang yuan (sweet rice balls). There isn’t one main event to attend, but if you happen to be in China, most cities would have their own festivities to take part in.
Dates: Last day of Lunar New Year
Location: Different cities in China
8 Lantern Festivals Around The World 2024: Find out more here
Light Up Your Next Holiday!
These lantern festivals are filled with so much culture and history. It’s a beautiful way to get to know different parts of the world and what they value. While you’re at it, be sure to light up your holidays with your YouTrip Card to get the best rates all day. Check out these YouTrip Perks for discounts and cashback to save more as you spend!
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