Frequently Asked Questions

Water Lantern Festival is an incredible experience where thousands of family, friends, and strangers celebrate life together. It brings together individuals from all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life to join in one emotional and memorable night. You'll cherish these moments as you witness the beauty of thousands of lanterns and the lights reflecting upon the water.

The Water Lantern Festival is a for-profit event, but we are proud to give back by supporting charities and non-profit organizations at each of our events.

Each General Admission ticket includes: Entry wristband for festival access, one floating lantern kit with a lantern, tealight & marker, a drawstring bag, and entry into our scavenger hunt giveaway.

Each Date Night Package includes: Two General Admission tickets & One cozy park blanket or mandala throw to share.

Additionally, the ticket price helps cover the costs of collecting and safely removing the lanterns from the water after the event, as well as cleaning up any debris that may have been present in or around the water.

The VIP experience is the Ultimate Experience! Each VIP ticket includes: Everything from General Admission, exclusive access to the VIP tent with drinks & snacks, and a commemorative Water Lantern Festival T-shirt!

Tickets are non-refundable unless Ticket Protection was purchased. We understand that plans can change, which is why we offer Ticket Protection for added peace of mind. If you choose not to purchase Ticket Protection, you will not be eligible for a full refund in the event of unforeseen circumstances. For more information, please see our Refund Policy.

The lantern launch window typically begins at sunset and will continue for 1–2 hours until everyone has had an opportunity to launch their lantern into the water.

You may arrive whenever you can. The event usually begins about three hours before sunset. We recommend arriving at least an hour before sunset to fully enjoy everything the festival has to offer! For detailed information, please refer to the official Water Lantern Festival Event Guide, which is emailed to all participants one week prior to the event.

No age limit, all are welcome! The festival is open to all ages and is a family-friendly event. Children ages 0–7 will be admitted for free and do not need a ticket but they will not receive a lantern. If they'd like their own lantern, one can be purchased at the merchandise tent on-site. Please note that all attendees must agree to the event waiver upon entering the festival grounds.

We aim to offer convenient parking options near the festival area. However, parking availability may vary depending on the location, so please refer to the event guide for detailed information on nearby parking areas. We also highly encourage using public transportation, rideshare services, or carpooling for a smoother experience.

If you purchased your tickets through Groupon, please be sure to redeem them on our website to attend the event. Simply visit the event page for the ticket you purchased and enter your Groupon redemption code to complete the process. If you are having problems redeeming your tickets please email support@waterlanternfestival.com.

Official Lantern Festival merchandise is available for purchase at the event — both cash and cards are accepted. You can also shop online anytime through our official store at water-lantern-festival.square.site.

Absolutely! Our dedicated team carefully collects every lantern after the event to ensure no debris is left behind. We're committed to protecting the environment — learn more about our efforts on our Environmental Commitment page.

We kindly ask that you do not bring outside lanterns. To ensure safety and environmental responsibility, only our custom-designed lanterns (U.S. Patent No. 10,711,959 B2) are permitted. These are specially made to float properly and be easily collected by our team after the event. Additional lanterns will be available for purchase on-site if you'd like more than one.

You are welcome to bring your own food and drinks to the event. However, please note that this is an alcohol-free event. We will also have a selection of food trucks on-site, so be sure to come hungry!

For the safety and enjoyment of all guests, all of our events are alcohol-free.

We love pets, but for the safety and comfort of all attendees, we kindly ask that you leave them at home unless they are service animals. If you plan to bring a service animal, please ensure they are kept on a leash or appropriately contained at all times, and please clean up after them.

We'd love to have you join us! Please fill out the form on our Vendors & Sponsors page or email us at support@waterlanternfestival.com.

Absolutely! Our Event Staff is amazing and we couldn't create such a memorable experience without your help. To learn more and apply, visit our Ambassador Program page.

We'd love to bring the festival to your city! Simply email us at support@waterlanternfestival.com with your location and why you think your city would be the perfect place for the event.

Absolutely! We encourage you to capture the magic of the evening. It's a night you'll want to remember, so feel free to snap as many photos as you like!