Projects

Examples of Lantern Parades

Under the Silver Moon, Cary, NC, Photos by Brian Magee.

Cary’s Community Lantern Parade, Under the Silver Moon, started in the winter of 2021 as a way to bring the communities of Wake County together through the arts. A community workshop program precedes the parade and includes a professional development workshop for art teachers and teaching artists, a 2-day large-scale lantern lab for artists and creatives, and a series of workshops for the community.

With fiery entertainment from Caroleeena’s Circles of Joy and music from One Tribe Rhythms, the Bulltown Strutters, and most recently Oakwood Second Line, the parade has now found its home in the stunning new Downtown Cary Park.

A giant beehive lantern with a bee attached glow in the darkness

A parade of multi colored lanterns of various shapes (including pyramids, globes, and towers) move through a dark park

Waterbury’s River of Light, Waterbury, VT. Photos by Gordon Miller

Waterbury’s River of Light Parade began in 2010, when Gowri and Angelo worked with then Thatcher Brook Primary School art teacher MK Monley to create over 400 student lanterns for their inaugural event. After 7 years, the parade continued to grow, and attracted over 3000 lantern-walkers and spectators from across Vermont and New England. The event was featured in Yankee Magazine’s Top 5 Holiday Light Events of New England in 2015, and has now established a tradition in the town of Waterbury.

A lantern parade full of multicolored and multi-shaped lanterns processes down a street. Some are shaped like houses, and others like buildings including a train station, a town hall, a school, and the Chrysler Building.

A lantern parade full of multicolored and multi-shaped lanterns processes down a street.

Children and the Arts, Peterborough, NH.

The Children and the Arts lantern festival began in 2018 after an all-school residency and community workshop program. It has since become an annual tradition beloved by the community. Lantern makers from across the region assemble in the small New Hampshire town to celebrate the season of light and ignite the community spirit.

A group of people hold lanterns in the night sky in front of a banner saying Children and the Arts

Guilford, VT

A group of children stand around a bonfire in the woods at night holding illuminated lanterns shaped like pyramids, globes and towers. The surfaces are decorated with colored tissue paper and hand-drawn maps.

Montpelier, VT

A collage of photos of lanterns, lantern parades, and fireworks.

Essex, VT

Multiple lanterns are carried by parade goers at twilight, shaped like towers, discs, and columns and are illuminated by bright red and green lights

Follow us on social media. IG/FB @gowrisavoor