Water Lantern Festival

The Water Lantern Festival is a fun and meaningful experience that you can share with the entire family. The crowd itself is pretty diverse—there are families with children, couples on date night, and groups of friends. For each person, the event may mean something different and that’s part of what makes it so beautiful to see. This can be a wonderful way for kids and teens to express themselves creatively through their art or their words. This might be especially helpful for kids and families who might be struggling with grief related to the loss of a loved one. The lantern festival provides an opportunity for a meaningful way to honor your loved one.

For your creative kiddos, you may want to pack an extra set of markers to decorate the lanterns. Whether you choose to write about hopes and wishes for the future or emotions and words of gratitude, it can be a time to talk about these topics with your kids and help them see they are part of something larger.

The symbolic meaning of floating lanterns differs depending on culture. It may represent worshipping gods, wishes for the future, or guiding souls that have passed into the spirit world. Regardless of your personal reasons for partaking in this celebration, it is a magical event that brings people together and creates a shared experience with family and friends.

Our family and friends have gone to the Water Lantern Festival in Whittier Narrows Recreational Area in South El Monte, CA for the past two years. It is an enjoyable affair, especially for the children. I recommend getting there early to find good parking, get your lantern kit, and secure a good spot by the lake for picnicking before the lantern release. There are food trucks on-site with a good variety of foods, although the lines are usually really long. We have found it easier to bring our own food so we can really enjoy spending time with our loved ones. We let the kids join in the decorating to include some of their hopes and wishes for the following year, along with some creative drawings and designs. The water lanterns are not released until it gets dark so the kids have time to eat, play, and finish their designs. Once the sun starts to set, people gather around the lake with their lanterns. Everyone then takes turns lighting their lanterns and setting them in the water.

Watching all the lanterns slowly float in the water is a beautiful sight. Whether it is your first time experiencing this event or you have participated in this celebration before, it is truly awe-inspiring to witness first hand.

Written by Michelle Urriquia, mother of two rascals, ages 2 and 6 and Tricia DeLa Cruz, mother of two rascals, ages 2 and 6.