Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages are welcome to attend this year’s circus-themed Lantern Festival on Saturday, July 28, 2018, in historic Victoria Park, located in the west end of downtown in the City of St. John’s.

For seventeen years, families and visitors have been attending this extremely unique festival which has become one of the City’s signature cultural events. This year’s event promises to be yet another memorable one, with many favorites from the past along with some new surprises.

At 2:00 pm the Lantern Festival will begin in the lower park with local entertainment, face painting, a kid’s game zone, lantern jar making workshop, belly dancers and many other guests throughout the day. At dusk, we invite you to take a seat on the grass and watch this spectacle unfold or grab a lantern and join our drum procession and parade leading to the upper park and around the amazing, glowing lantern installations.

Once night falls, prepare to be astonished by multi-talented performers that include jugglers, dancers, and fire eaters, as well as aerial acrobats and other circus performers choreographed by the fire and light show’s Artistic Director Danielle Knustgraichen, a graduate of Montréal’s École Nationale de Cirque.  

Admission to the Lantern Festival is free although volunteers will be collecting donations, so we encourage folks to bring a loonie or two. Canteen service, BBQ, Snow Cones, Popcorn and Cotton Candy will be available throughout the day and evening in the lower park.

Our long-range weather forecast predicts 20 degrees Celsius with a chance of precipitation. In the event of rain, the festival will move to the following day on Sunday, July 29, 2018.

Click here for the Lantern Festival Workshop Schedule 2018

Leading up to the Victoria Park Lantern Festival, lantern making workshops will take place at the Victoria Park Poolhouse. These workshops are held every Tuesday and Thursday evening until July 26th from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. These workshops are free to the general public, however, donations will be accepted. All Lantern building materials will be provided.

Come by yourself, or with family and friends to create and build your own unique lantern which you can bring to the Festival. The Victoria Park Lantern Festival is organized by the Friends of Victoria Park (FOVP) in partnership with the City of St. John’s. 

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Tuck, Victoria Park Lantern Festival Coordinator
Email: [email protected]