You may have seen something similar while watching the Disney movie, Tangled. But did you know you can see these beautiful lights in person? The Lantern Festival is primarily celebrated in China and other countries, but similar events can be found throughout the world. In China, the purpose of the festival is to honor ancestors. It is celebrated by decorating homes with lanterns, as well as the famous lion and dragon dances. This holiday has evolved throughout many lifetimes. It could be traced back to the Han Dynasty. During this time, Buddhists would light lanterns on the 15^th lunar month in honor of the Buddha. This practice was then spread through China and Asia, which in turn would lead to many other origin stories and myths behind the practice.

What if I want to participate locally? Fortunately, many different companies have adopted the festival and host it throughout the country. There are many different companies you can check to see when they are visiting near you. Night Lights, (https://www.nightlightsevent.com) is hosting an event near Baltimore on October 22, 2022. The venue is to be announced this Spring.

Many who have attended claim it is a magical, once in a lifetime experience. Put this on your bucket list! Many companies also use biodegradable materials for the lanterns and clean up after the event is over. If you ever get the chance, don’t pass it up. Seeing the floating lanterns in the sky is amazing and everyone should see them one day.