Set for this Saturday, July 25th, the annual Chattanooga Water Lantern Festival returns to Chester Frost Park for an unforgettable evening full of reflection, connection, and lifelong memory-making moments, where attendees can design and write messages on floating lanterns before launching them across Chickamauga Lake at sunset.
A memorable and growing staple event in the Scenic City, the Chattanooga Water Lantern Festival will feature more than just a lantern launch. There will also be a host of amazing local food trucks, vendors, live music, family-friendly activities, and lawn games.
Bring a chair or a blanket, and prepare for an unforgettable evening, as folks are encouraged to write down their hopes, dreams, and tributes on beautifully designed eco-friendly wood and paper lanterns with LED lights before casting them out onto the calm lake waters.
After the launch, each lantern is later retrieved from the water by a hardworking crew to help with preservation and sustainability, with the LED lights being removed so they can be properly recycled or reused.
In speaking with the marketing manager for the Water Lantern Festival, Tess Rowser, she discussed what folks can expect from the magical, visually stunning evening. She mentioned that there will be a short program, as well as a guided meditation, followed by a moment to pause before the lantern launch.
“As dusk approaches, the event naturally transitions into a more reflective experience. Everyone gathers for a brief program featuring inspiring lantern stories, a guided meditation, and a moment to pause before the lantern launch. It's a beautiful opportunity to slow down, reflect, and appreciate the people and moments that matter most.
The lantern release is certainly the visual highlight of the evening, but what makes the experience so memorable is everything that leads up to it. It's an evening that blends celebration with reflection, bringing together laughter, great food, meaningful conversations, and quiet moments of gratitude.
Our hope is that every guest leaves feeling a little more connected: to the people they came with, to their community, and to themselves. In a world that moves so quickly, it's rare to find an opportunity where thousands of people pause together and simply enjoy being present.”
Each ticket purchased includes one floating lantern, an LED candle, with no open flames allowed, as well as supplies and markers for decorating, admission to the festival, and access to the food trucks, live music, and family-oriented activities. Parking can be hectic, so arrive early, and expect some traffic when leaving the park.
Rowser went on to mention how excited the national festival is to return to Chattanooga, citing it as a community that embraces the true meaning of the experience and the outdoors.
“We're excited to return to Chattanooga because it has consistently been a community that embraces experiences centered around family, connection, and the outdoors. Chester Frost Park provides a beautiful setting where people can gather along the water and enjoy the evening together.
Each time we've visited, we've been impressed by how welcoming and engaged the Chattanooga community has been. It's one of those cities where people genuinely enjoy spending time outdoors and creating memories together, which aligns perfectly with what the Water Lantern Festival is all about.”
When asked about the festival’s lasting legacy in the years to come, Rowser detailed that while the lanterns craft a beautiful picture, the impact of the event comes from the moments of reflection and connection between families and strangers.
“The lanterns create a beautiful image, but the real impact comes from the conversations, the reflection, and the time spent together. If the Water Lantern Festival leaves behind anything, we hope it's the reminder that taking time to celebrate life, express gratitude, remember those we love, and connect with our communities is always worthwhile.
If people leave feeling a little more hopeful, a little more connected, and inspired to carry that forward into their everyday lives, then we've accomplished exactly what we set out to do.”
Chattanooga Water Lantern Festival
- Saturday, July 25. 6-10 p.m. Lantern launch from 9-10 p.m.
- Chester Frost Park. 2277 Gold Point Cir N. Hixson, TN.
- $30.99. Children under 8 are Free.
- waterlanternfestival.com/events/chattanooga