The Water Lantern Festival is making its way to Central Oregon for the first time. More than 1,000 lanterns donning personal messages will float down the Deschutes River Friday night.
The display is set to make its way through the Old Mill District, starting at Riverbend Park.
“Some people use it as a celebration, some people do it as a memorial, it really is just to bring the community together and celebrate,” event organizer Sydney Robinson said.
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The gates open at 5:30 p.m.; organizers say over 1,500 tickets have sold.
Many got in early for a lower price, but if you still want in on the action, $45.99 will get you a lantern kit until midnight Thursday. That price increases to $55.99 for the day of the event.
“In the lantern kit is the actual lantern, the wooden base and the rice paper. And then we also give a scavenger hunt to do and a marker to write with and draw on your lantern for it,” Robinson said.
Though there is a cost for the event, the public can go down and look. Riverbend Park will remain open for general river access.
The lanterns will float down the river a few hundred feet before being cleaned up by the end of the night.
Event organizers say they hope to bring it back in future years, and make the water lanterns an annual sight on the Deschutes River
