Night Lights - Lantern Festival

Hello Sunshine!

Inspired by the traditional Thai Lantern Festival, "Night Lights" is an illuminating experience you won't want to miss! Bring the whole family or enjoy a romantic date night of food, music, and the magic of thousands of floating lanterns above you. If you hurry, you can still catch this event right outside of Baltimore, Maryland on October 23!



  • "Night Lights" Festival Upcoming Locations: Salt Lake City, Utah; Dallas, Texas; St Louis, Missouri; and Baltimore, Maryland
  • Cost: $26 (early bird) $36 (online) $60 (at the door)
  • Hours: Festival Begins at 3pm, Lanterns Launch 90 minutes after dusk
  • Safety Measures: Masks are not required for this outdoor event, use your discretion in big crowds
  • What to Bring: Blankets, chairs, snacks, games
  • Website: NightLightsEvent.com


I've always wanted to visit Thailand and experience the wonder of a traditional lantern festival.  Now thanks to the "Night Lights" event, I was able to enjoy that same magic just an hour from home.  I traveled from Philly to the Pocono Mountains.  The event was held right outside of the Pocono Raceway.  When I arrived at the festival grounds, the sounds of live music and the smell of campfires greeted me.  I felt like a child again as I unpacked my picnic blanket and geared up for a fun night.


The festival admission includes a lantern and lighter.  You can bring your own snacks or buy food at the vendors on-site. For an extra $50, you can also purchase a Radiate Portable Campfire (as seen on the Shark Tank show) and a smores kit with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. Of course, I splurged on this for the ultimate experience! 



After eating and sharing some laughs with the neighboring festival-goers, I prepared for the big moment, the Lantern Launch! The soothing, almost ethereal live music was the perfect soundtrack to what would be an unforgettable moment.  As the sun went down, my excitement began to rise! I couldn't wait to see the lights of all those lanterns floating above me like stars illuminating into the dark night.  I was so ready to release my lantern and join in the fun but the truth is, THOSE SUCKERS WERE HARD TO LIGHT! 

No one warns you about the hazardous flames flying off of the biodegradable rice paper and bamboo contraptions and how they have to heat up enough air to actually rise.  As much as I want to say my lantern launch was perfect, it was not.  It actually hit a woman before falling to the ground as an epic failure.


Even though my lantern failed to launch, hundreds of others succeded, salvaging the last glimmer of hope for my magical night.  As I swallowed my pride about my limp lantern, I stood in awe at all the lanterns that did make it up.  It was truly spectacular.  The lanterns bounced lightly in the wind and slowly floated away, lighting up the sky all around us.  I felt such a connection with everyone there.  It was like we had all shared something special, a moment we'd never forget.  A moment we created all on one accord -- and what a moment it was, literally and figuratively spreading light to everyone around.


I would definitely attend this event again. The next time around, I'd go earlier to enjoy more of the festival atmosphere during the day.   Even though it was the last week of Summer, there was such a relaxed, chill vibe that compelled you to be present in the moment and just kick it! Most importantly, I want another chance to get my lantern up into the air -- I just gotta let my light shine!

The Night Lights festival has a few more tour dates in 2021 throughout the country! Check out NightLightsEvent.com to find a festival near you!  Comment below if you'd like to attend. As always, my prayer is that you are happy and healthy and find sunshine wherever you are!













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