This Calgary festival turns the water into a sea of glowing lanterns

Calgary is about to get one of its most magical summer nights as thousands of lanterns float across the water at the Water Lantern Festival. Taking place at Spruce Meadows, the event will have guests spend the evening decorating their own lanterns with messages, drawings, or names before releasing them onto the water at sunset. As darkness sets in, the lanterns slowly spread across the surface, turning the area into a gorgeous, glowing spectacle.

A shared moment on the water

According to the Water Lantern Festival, the event is centred on reflection and connection. Each lantern represents a message, memory, or intention that gets released onto the water and carried out into the night.

Once you arrive, you’re given a lantern kit and plenty of time to decorate it however you want. Some people keep it simple with names or messages, while others make it more personal.

As the evening moves closer to sunset, everyone slowly gathers along the shoreline as they get ready for the lantern release. From there, the lanterns are lit and placed onto the water one by one, and what starts as a few scattered lights quickly turns into a glowing surface stretching across the lake as night falls.

There will also be music playing throughout the night and food trucks set up across the festival grounds, so you can grab something to eat or just walk around as you wait for the lantern release.

And you’re probably wondering, “Where do all these lanterns go at the end of the night?” After the event wraps up, organizers conduct a thorough cleanup of the water and surrounding area, collecting all the lanterns and ensuring nothing is left behind. The lanterns are biodegradable and water-safe, so everything is made to be easy to collect afterward. By the next day, the space is cleared and looks exactly how it did before the festival, with no trace left behind.

What to know before you go

The festival will take place on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Spruce Meadows. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., giving you plenty of time to arrive, check in, and settle in before the lantern release at sunset.

General admission starts at $42, and each ticket includes a floating lantern, a decorating kit, an LED candle, a marker, a wristband, and access to the full festival experience, including live music, food trucks, and lawn games.

So if you’re looking for something different to do this summer, this is a great pick. And since it only comes around once a year in the city, it’s definitely not something you want to miss!

Water Lantern Festival

When: Saturday, July 25, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Spruce Meadows – 18011 Spruce Meadows Way, Calgary, Alta.
Cost: Starting at $42.99

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