Lantern festival set to light up the North End this weekend
Posted Aug 11, 2023 07:05:03 AM.
Last Updated Aug 11, 2023 09:11:10 AM.
Halifax’s North End will be lit up Saturday night with the 20th annual Northern Lights Lantern Festival.
The free event is a popular community gathering that includes music, face painting, bouncy castles for the kids and much more.
Organizers say although it was formed as a way celebrate the city’s North End community, the festival is open to all Halifax residents.
“It is 100 per cent open to everyone,” Andrew Nicholson, the board chair tells CityNews Halifax. “We had people from Dartmouth reach out in the last couple weeks looking to volunteer so we are very fortunate with the people who come from all over to see the event and we are always happy to have anyone who wants to come.”
Nicholson adds that the festival has also only grown in popularity, adding he feels people are especially coming out post-Covid for that sense of community.
Anecdotally, he says he feels attendance has grown as much as 30 per cent in the last few years.
The festivities kick off with a free barbecue that begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday along with music by DJ Ace.
Other musical acts include the Fifth Canadian Brigade Composite Band from Stadacona and Faze Phive along with host Corey Adams.
However, the most popular part of the evening is the Parade of Lanterns.
People can bring their own clean jars or use one of the many organizers have collected over the course of the year and young attendees will be invited to make their own lantern.
At dusk, participants will be given an electronic tealight and they will be invited to take part in a parade around the park ahead of the event’s fireworks to close out the night.
“As a kid, when I went to the festival, I always loved to bring my own jar because I was able to pick and know which one I had beforehand,” says Nicholson, who has been going to the event since he was 13-years-old. “So if you want to bring your own jars, we will put a handle on it and provide all the supplies to decorate it as well.”
Nicholson adds that organizers are always looking for volunteers, even at the last minute, and he encourages anyone who wants to get involved to reach out via their website at: www.nllf.org
“We are always happy to have more volunteers,” he says. “There is a link (on the website) to sign up with different activities and time slots.”
