Frames from a magical night at Franklin Park’s Water Lantern Festival

Faith Schneider
Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:11:00 +0000
Arts & Life, Events, Fine Arts, Gallery, Instagram Page, News, Photos, Slideshow, calming, Columbus, community, craft vendors, crafting, events, festival, festivities, food trucks, franklin park, lanterns, light up lanterns, national event, Ohio, peaceful, pond, sunset, The Lantern, Water Lantern Festival, Water Lanterns

Lanterns float in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Participants wait for sunset during the Columbus Water Lantern festival at Franklin Park last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Participants wait for sunset during the Columbus Water Lantern festival at Franklin Park last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lantern makers release their lanterns in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Participants decorate their lantern during the Columbus Water Lantern festival at Franklin Park last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lanterns float in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Participants wait for sunset during the Columbus Water Lantern festival at Franklin Park last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lanterns float in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

A girl discusses her future dreams through her lantern at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lanterns float in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

A performer sings during at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

The Lantern Water Festival hosted a variety of food trucks in Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lantern makers pose with their lantern before putting it in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lantern makers release their lanterns in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lanterns float in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lanterns float in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Lanterns float in the pond at Franklin Park during the Columbus Water Lantern festival last Saturday. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Franklin Park was lit up during the Columbus Water Lantern Festival Saturday night. The park hosted multiple festivities, including craft vendors and food trucks for many to enjoy, leading up to the main event of the night. Before sunset, festivalgoers built and decorated their lanterns before sending them out into the pond.

For those curious about the process of making the water lanterns, see below:

Water lantern bags could be purchased containing two decks of cards and a lantern making kit. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Each lantern kit contained a wood base, dowels, a battery operated candle, a marker and paper. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Using the marker, designs and words can be drawn on the lantern. Some individuals wrote aspirations for the future and proverbs while others drew personal images. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

Once the lantern decoration is complete, the lantern can be assembled by placing the paper cover on four wooden dowels. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor

As the sun begins to set, the candle can be turned on and the lantern glows into the dark. Set the candle in the pond and enjoy the lights. Credit: Faith Schneider | Arts & Life Photo Editor