The Water Lantern Festival In Illinois That’s A Night Of Pure Magic
By Elizabeth Crozier|Published April 04, 2019
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
There’s a water lantern festival coming to Aurora, Illinois this spring that promises a night of hope, happiness, and healing. Bring out your loved ones for a marvelous experience of peace, joy, and light that you’ll never forget.
Actually, Illinois is scheduled to have several of these magical events throughout the state at various times this year. Scroll on to get all the details and find out which ones are closest to you.
The first lantern fest of the year in Illinois will take place in Chicagoland on the north side of the state at RiverEdge Park. The event is scheduled for May 18, 2019 and tickets are currently on sale.
Early-bird tickets cost $25 and are only available until April 5, 2019. Regular price tickets cost $30 until April 30, after which the price increases to $35. If you wait to purchase your tickets at the door, the price increases to $40.
Each ticket includes a floating lantern, a marker, a wristband, and a commemorative drawstring bag. Lanterns are made of rice paper and wood and are 100 percent eco-friendly.
Around 8:30 p.m., guests may begin to design their own lanterns. Some choose to draw pictures while others write inspirational quotes. Still, others send messages to loved ones who have passed or prayers in hopes that they will make it to the other side.
Between 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., the lantern launch takes place. Guests gently place their wishes, hopes, dreams, and prayers onto the Fox River and watch them glow and float along with all the others.
If you're not able to make this event or if Aurora is just too far away, there will be other opportunities for you to enjoy this magical festival. June 8, 2019, the event will be in Springfield, while on July 20, 2019, it will be in Chicago. You can catch it in both Peoria and Rockford on July 27, 2019.
Have you ever attended a floating lantern festival? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.
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