The Lantern Installation

The Lantern Installation is a key part of the festival’s magical appeal. The steep topography of the upper park is the perfect canvas on which to display the creative efforts of the community’s lantern building. The installation varies from year to year, and each year there is something new. The installation is one of the most logistically complicated parts of the festival and is entirely a volunteer effort.

Making it Happen

The installation team starts before the day of the festival to organize tools and equipment. We meet early on the day to ferry the lanterns and equipment up the hill from the pool house. Some heavy items like the 500 glass jar lanterns are taken by truck or car and the bamboo lanterns are all carried up by hand. Ropes and lines are tied, caution tape is put up and lanterns are hung and secured. Organization is key to the success of the installation

Just before dusk and the procession, the lanterns in the installation are lit. The installation is a beautiful back drop and foreground to the fire show and performance. After the fire show, the peaceful quiet glow of the lanterns in the installation creates an ambiance in the park that is difficult to describe. It is best to just come and experience it.

Over the winter of 2010 Dougal Dunbar, our seasoned lead volunteer for the lantern installation wrote up an installation manual. He did this in preparation of his departure from the province and we are very grateful. The manual creates a resource that will ensure the continued success and creativity of the installation.

Lead installation volunteers must give the lantern installation manual a careful read to get an idea of what we will be doing to make the installation happen. All installation volunteers are encouraged to read it to help make the installation go as smoothly as possible. Feed back on the manual is encouraged and welcomed. The 2011 version is version 1.