The Utah-based Water Lantern Festival has visited Kentucky during the summer since 2018, but this is the first time it will be part of the Kentucky Derby Festival at Kroger’s Fest-A-Ville at Waterfront Park.
“Our motto as a company is bringing hope and joy and connection to all the communities that we go to, so we’re really excited to get in and go to the Kentucky Derby Festival,” said Justin Rash, the Water Lantern Festival’s event coordinator. “So just being able to change that date and bring it up in April with the Festival and be a little bit more involved in the community is something that we’re super stoked about, and it’s a great way to bring together the entire community of Louisville and the surrounding areas.”
This year’s Water Lantern Festival is set for April 29 at Kroger’s Fest-A-Ville at Waterfront Park. Participants are encouraged to check in at 6 p.m. to pick up a lantern kit, find a spot to put down blankets or chairs, and enjoy all the festivities Fest-A-Ville offers each year—live music, food and more.
“Then, right before sunset, the vibe starts to change, and it definitely turns inward and more reflective as we invite guests to write on their lantern to decorate it either with drawings or messages or words,” said Tess Rouser, the Water Lantern Festival’s marketing manager. “At sunset, the guests release their lanterns onto the [Ohio River], transforming it into a glowing display of light. It’s peaceable and emotional and really moving because it’s something you participate in and not just observe. It’s the best of both worlds—fun and lively but also peaceful and introspective.”
Rash said all the lanterns are environmentally friendly and eventually are picked up from the water. “We collect all the lanterns after the event goes on and people have had a chance to launch their lanterns and kind of sit there and watch them for a while,” he said. “We like to leave parks better than we found them because we want to come back, and we want to be able to bring this event to the community year after year.”
Admission to the Water Lantern Festival in Fest-A-Ville is a 2026 Pegasus Pin®. Lantern kits are purchased separately with prices starting at about $30 each.