Each summer, the Friends of Victoria Park host free, all-ages lantern-building workshops for the public in the Victoria Park Pool House! During these workshops, we’ll teach you how to make your very own lantern to carry during the lantern parade on the night of the Lantern Festival.
Public lantern-building workshops take place every Tuesday/Thursday night from 6-8:30pm at the Victoria Park Pool House beginning June 27! (all supplies provided/donations accepted).
Everything you need to know
When: Every Tuesday and Thursday night – 6 pm to 8:30 pm (June 27, 2019 to July 23, 2019).
Location: Victoria Park Pool House. The side of the Pool House facing the park (more specifically, a field) is covered in bright graffiti art. The door will likely be tied open; if it’s closed, we’re still inside, so just open the door with AED painted on it.
Cost: Admission is free, however, the following suggested donations are recommended to cover the cost of supplies and materials: $2 to make a jar lantern & $5 to make a box or star lantern.
We also sell water, chips, and chocolate bars throughout the workshop!
What you can MAKE
GLASS JAR LANTERNS
There is a project for everyone! Glass jar lanterns can be finished in one session; for this reason, they are perfectly suited for little ones and for those who are only available for one evening to make a lantern. Balloon and bamboo lanterns take at least 3 sessions to complete; for this reason, they are best suited for older lantern makers. Please feel free to speak with any of the staff at the workshop to discuss the perfect project for you!
The glass jar lantern is not only simple to make, but is exquisite to look at when lit.
The glass jar is a great choice if you are short on time but not on creativity. These lanterns are also quite easy to make at home. A small glass jar lantern is often a good choice for younger children that do not have the attention span to complete a balloon or bamboo lantern. However, please keep in mind that although the lantern is easy to make, it is breakable and requires attention to carry. Parental discretion and supervision are always advised with glass and fire.
BAMBOO LANTERNS
Hundreds of people construct bamboo and tissue paper lanterns each year. Boxes are our basic learning lanterns. More advanced learning lanterns are the ever-popular stars, which build three-dimensional skills that benefit from the tensile strength of the bamboo and the papering prowess of the creator.
Hooked on these foundational lanterns, volunteers and workshop participants begin to develop a creative eye for new structures, specialized adaptations and better effects each year. New lantern builders absorb the know-how of past lantern-builders and design innovations become design traditions.
A simple bamboo lantern (box or star) usually takes at least 3 evenings to make. More elaborate bamboo lanterns take more time, so plan your designs based on the time you can commit. Try to be as creative as possible within a realistic time commitment.
Building a bamboo lantern requires the use of a hot glue gun and bending wires that can poke. The hot glue is very hot, so parental supervision is required for children.
REPAIR BAMBOO LANTERNS
A good way to learn the dos and don’ts of solid bamboo lantern making is to take on a repair project. We have many abandoned lanterns that we re-make, patch up, re-paper, re-glue and sometimes sell in our merchandise tent to raise money for the festival. We also have large installation lanterns that always need a good clean-up and a few patches. Repairing a lantern lets you see how a lantern is put together and helps build your skills so you can embark on your own creation. Doing lantern repairs is a great help to the festival, too!
