The Salish Sea Lantern Festival is a celebration of art, light, community and culture.
During the Week of Lanterns, August 16-22, 2026 look for lantern installations in around the community, enjoy lantern building workshops, or watch an online lantern tutorial to create your very own hand-made lanterns. Lantern kits are also available at local retailers.
On the evening of August 22, 2026, join us for the free Salish Sea Lantern Festival evening event with live performances and family-friendly activities, followed by a magical lantern procession along the waterfront.
Salish Sea Lantern Festival – Evening Event – August 22, 2026
Salish Sea Lantern Festival – Evening Event & Lantern Parade
Join the community at Beacon Park in Sidney, BC starting at 6:30 PM
for live entertainment, beautiful costumed characters, family-friendly activities, and a community parade with hand-made illuminated Lanterns.
We’re thrilled to welcome Daniel Cook and the Radiators back to perform at the festival this year! This seasoned band blends finger-style folk, bass-driven funk, tender ballads, reggae and rock, all rooted in country vibes, leaving audiences captivated. With sophistication and sensitivity, they combine a sweet mix of vocal harmonies and tasty solos into extraordinary heartfelt and memorable performances. Daniel Cook & The Radiators are, without exception, an original band to see and hear live!
Bring your lanterns to the festival and join the Lantern Parade!
The Lantern Parade will begin at the Bandshell in Beacon Park. The procession will proceed along the Sidney Waterfront Walkway to to Eastview Park (by the walking pier) and then circle back to conclude in Beacon Park. Enjoy interactive costumed characters and large-scale lanterns along the parade route.
Week of Lanterns – August 16 – 22, 2026
Salish Sea Lantern Festival – The Week of Lanterns
Create and Display Lanterns & Enjoy Installations in the Community
Watch for beautiful lanterns around the peninsula, including an illuminated jellyfish bloom at Garden Court in Sidney, and personal lantern displays through the community! Sign up for lantern building workshops, or watch an online lantern tutorial to create your very own hand-made lanterns. Lantern kits are also available at local retailers and at the Sidney Street Market.
NOW AVAILABLE – Fish Lantern Kits – Available at Local Retail Locations
LANTERN KITS
ArtSea has put together lantern kits for the community; find out where to purchase a kit and don’t forget to display your lanterns during the Week of Lanterns and bring your lanterns to Beacon Park and join the lantern parade!
Where to find a lantern kit:
The following is a list of Saanich Peninsula locations where you can purchase your fish lantern kit. Kits are $12 each (cash or use the QR code to purchase), and all materials and instructions are included to create an illuminated fish lantern.
- The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea Store, Sidney BC
- The Brentwood Bay Village Empourium (Fish Lanterns Sold out – Star Lantern Kits while quantities last)
- The Village Gallery
Download a jellyfish lantern kit colouring sheet (PDF) – you can display this with your completed jellyfish lantern.
Jellyfish fun facts:
- Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea
- How to Grow a Jellyfish – Seaside Magazine
- Jellyfish of the Sea – San Juan Safaris
- Record Jellyfish Sightings – JellyWatch
- The Fried Egg Jellyfish – The Marine Madness Blog
- Jellyfish 101 – National Geographic Wild
- Lion’s Mane Jellyfish: The Biggest Jellyfish In The World – Trend Max
- Immortal Jellyfish, The Creature that Defies Death
- Bionic Jellyfish – Advanced Science News
- Dangerous Jellyfish – Planet Deadly
Find us at the Sidney Street Market – August 20th, 2026
Find us at the Thursday Night Street Market on August 20th
Get creative and build a latnern, or pick up Lantern Kit and then join us at the evening festival.
Memory Lanterns – Available at the Evening Festival – August 22, 2026
Look for Memory Lanterns available for purchase at the evening festival!
Carry a special memory with you in the lantern parade. Purchase a Memory Lantern and dedicate it to a favourite memory, beloved pet, or someone special.
$10 each
Pay by cash, or use the QR Code
REGISTER NOW: In-person Lantern Workshop – August 17 & 18, 2026
You’re invited!
Join us for a two-day Fish Lantern Workshop!
Join Artistic Director of the Salish Sea Lantern Festival, Jennifer Witvliet, to hand-build your very own fish lantern using traditional materials like bamboo and tissue. Bring your completed lantern to the Salish Sea Lantern Festival and carry your creation in the magical Lantern Parade!
One workshop – two evenings of creativity!
Workshop Details:
Day 1: August 17, 2026 – 6:30-9:30 PM – You will build the lantern structure
Day 2: August 18, 2026 – 6:30-930 PM – You will decorate your creation
Cost: $75 CND, paid online during the registration process (materials included)
Location: St. Andrew Anglican Church, 9691 Fourth St, Sidney, BC V8L 2Y8
The workshop includes:
- In-person instruction during a two-part workshop, guiding you through the process of creating a complete fish lantern to take home.
- All materials needed to build your fish lantern, included in the workshop registration fee.
In-Person Paper Cup Lantern Workshop – August 15, 2026 – CONCLUDED
Join Artistic Director of the Salish Sea Lantern Festival, Jennifer Witvliet to create fun and colourful paper cup lantern.
Workshop Details:
Date: August 15, 2026
Location: Sidney North Saanich Library, 10091 Resthaven Drive, Sidney BC V8L 3G3
Ages 6 – 12. Join artist Jennifer Witvliet and create beautiful lanterns that your can carry in the Salish Sea Lantern festival on Saturday, August 22.
All materials provided.
For Workshop Details and Registration, contact the Sidney North Saanich Library
Interested?
FREE Online Lantern-Building Tutorials – Available now
ArtSea has produced free online lantern-building tutorials so that you can make lanterns at home! Check the list of materials needed, get creative, and then display your lanterns during the Week of Lanterns, and bring your lanterns to Beacon Park to join the evening festival and lantern parade!
Paper Bag Lantern Building Tutorial
Materials needed: Paper bag, tissue paper, electric tea light, felt pens, scissors, glue stick.
Paper-Mache Lantern Building Tutorial
Materials needed: Balloon, plastic cup or small container, tape, white glue, paint brush, tissue paper, scissors, hole punch, string or ribbon, and an electric tea light.
Jellyfish Lantern – Tutorial
For the 2026 Salish Sea Lantern Festival, FISH Lantern Kits are available at local retail locations.
Prefer to make a jellyfish lantern? You can still follow along with this video to create your own! Simply gather your own paper lantern and materials, then get creative.
Materials needed:
Paper lantern and electric tea light.
Optional materials:
Paint brush, tissue paper, scissors, draping fabric, hole punch, string or ribbon, and a stick for carrying.
Have fun creating your own beautiful jellyfish lantern!
Fish-lantern Building Tutorial
By popular demand, the amazing Salish Sea Lantern Festival team created a new, self-guided fish-building tutorial. For this FREE lantern-building tutorial, please see the list of required materials below, before you begin.
Materials needed:
- Bamboo strips for the internal frame of the fish – various sizes, according to the size of the fish you would like to create (extras are good in case some break). (See also tomato cage option below.)
- – 3 thin for ribs
- – 2 medium for body
- – 2 medium for body and tail
- – extras for fins and modifications
- Alternative for the internal frame of the fish: Collapsible tomato cage (use the three rings for ribs). These are available at garden centres, hardware stores, or dollar stores.
- White glue
- Masking tape
- Paintbrush (bristle or foam)
- Tissue paper
- – white or cream for 2 base coats
- – varied colors as wished for decoration
- Tea lights (2)
Have fun!
The Salish Sea Lantern Festival Team at World Oceans Day – June 7th, 2026
The Salish Sea Lantern Festival Team Attended
2026 World Oceans Day
Hosted by the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea.
A free family-friendly event in Beacon Park on the SETINES/Sidney waterfront
As part of World Oceans Day, ArtSea and the Salish Sea Lantern Festival team welcomed visitors to help create the Community Current Fish—a collaborative lantern shaped by the voices and wishes of our community.
If you missed the opportunity to add your wish to the Community Current Fish Lantern, memory lanterns will be available at the evening festival. Guests are invited to purchase a memory lantern and write a wish, message, or dedication on the ribbon to be included as part of this special community celebration.
Behind The Scenes – Take a peek at lantern team at work!
Sneak Peek!
A new giant humpback whale lantern for the 2026 Salish Sea Lantern Festival
Check out the amazing behind the scenes creativity that goes into the Salish Sea Lantern Festival. Take a peek at the makers and all the work that goes into creating lanterns and costumes for the festival.
Where do all the Lanterns Come From?
Volunteer Application for the Salish Sea Lantern Festival – CLOSED for 2026
Help bring the Salish Sea Lantern Festival to life! We invite you to join the ArtSea team as a volunteer on Saturday, August 22, 2026, and help create a joyful, welcoming evening for our community. Whether you enjoy greeting visitors, assisting with activities, supporting the lantern procession, helping behind the scenes, or lending a hand with set-up and clean-up, there are many ways to get involved. Complete the volunteer application form below to let us know which opportunities interest you—we would be delighted to have you join us!
Food Vendor Application for the Evening Festival – CLOSED for 2026
If you have been invited to participate as a food vendor, we welcome you to learn more and submit your application to provide food services.
Salish Sea Lantern Festival Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Event Time: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Event Location: Beacon Park and Sidney Waterfront Walkway, 2554 Beacon Avenue. Food vendors set up on the road behind the Beacon Bandshell – the road will be blocked off to vehicle traffic. Participation Fee: $100 (due at the time of application)
Salish Sea Lantern Festival Media Coverage
Seaside Magazine – August, 2026
Illuminating the Peninsula:
ArtSea Community Arts Council
Salish Sea Lantern Festival
AUGUST 22ND &30-9:30PM
BEACON PARK 9801 SEAPORT PLACE, SIDNEY
If you’ve ever watched glowing lanterns drift through Sidney at dusk, you’ve experienced the
magic of the Salish Sea Lantern Festival, presented by ArtSea Community Arts Council.
From August 16 to 22, the Week of Lanterns invites residents and visitors to help the Saanich
Peninsula shine with creativity. Throughout the week, lantern kits, workshops, and online tutorials
make it easy for families, artists, and first time makers to participate and contribute to the glow.
On August 22, Beacon Park becomes a gathering place for the community at the Salish Sea Lantern Festival, featuring live performances, illuminated creations and characters, and activities for all ages, followed by a magical lantern procession along the waterfront celebrating light, community, and the Salih Sea.
More information, tutorials, and resources are available at www.artsea.ca/salish-sea-lantern-festival.
Peninsula News Review – August 28, 2025
Peninsula News Review – August 13, 2025
A celebration of light, community and culture is coming to Sidney by The Sea.
The Salish Sea Lantern Festival returns on Aug. 23 to Beacon Park, where people will dress up in costume and take their lantern creations for a magical evening procession along the waterfront.
In preparation for the parade, the Week of Lanterns will see various installations set up throughout the town from Aug. 17-23. There will also be lantern-making workshops on Aug. 20 and 21, and fish lantern kits will be available for purchase at a few local retailers for those wanting to participate in the festivities. A jellyfish lantern kit at the Sidney Street Market on Aug. 21.
A highlight of the festival is the month-long display of giant jellyfish lanterns suspended in Garden Court-a whimsical photo opportunity and community favourite-created in partnership with the Sidney BIA and the Town of Sidney.
On the night of the festival, people will show off their lit-up masterpieces and take in live performances and activities for all ages.
The festival opens at 6:30 p.m., with the parade starting at 8:30 p.m. Daniel Cook and the Radiators will be playing music, costumed characters and performers will entertaining passersby and attendees can make cup lanterns and get their faces painted.
A memory lantern booth will also be set up this year, providing people with a way to hold onto a memory of a time, person, place or pet. The lanterns, which are purchased by donation, have a ribbon attached for you to write down the memory you want to carry with you through the evening.
When twilight falls, the lantern procession will start at the Beacon Bandshell, follow the Sidney Waterfront Walkway to Eastview Park, and circle back to conclude back in Beacon Park
Read more at: https://peninsulanewsreview.com/2025/08/13/lantern-festival-to-light-up-sidney-with-magical-waterfront-procession/
Peninsula News Review – August 20, 2024
Source: ‘Amazing lanterns’ and theatrics set for Sidney’s Salish Sea festival – Peninsula News Review
‘Amazing lanterns’ and theatrics set for Sidney’s Salish Sea festival
The Salish Sea Lantern Festival is made magnificent thanks to the effort of the community, says artistic director.
Ethereal, beautiful, warm and colourful is how Jennifer Witvliet describes the annual Salish Sea Lantern Festival when it lights up Sidney.
Ornate paper lanterns of jellyfish, sea creatures and more will be ‘swimming’ against the night sky at the Aug. 24 festival, which starts at the Bandshell in Beacon Park at 6:30 p.m.
Now in its 11th year, the festival is growing and Witviet, artistic director, is placing more emphasis on installations. “There will be scenes, different vignettes along the route and the waterfront, so people can stop and really look at all the detail because there’s just so much.”
There will be over 100 lanterns to take in, created by her and five volunteers, plus creative participating festival-goers, which she estimates to be about 2,500 people.
“Everything is meticulously hand-built; every detail, every costume. My five core volunteers have all developed artistically over the years, and we challenge each other. That’s what makes it really fun, is working with them.”
This year also promises more entertainment, like live music by Daniel Cook & the Radiators, and more theatrics.
“Characters will wear an illuminated lantern and embody that character. We’ve got a ‘crab-mudgeon’ character, who’s just a crabby crab fisherman. He’s got acting and singing skills … We’re drawing all these talents from locals. It’s everyone’s passion project, it seems.”
While there will be lanterns already on site, Witvliet said they really encourage people to build their own because it only adds to the magic. “Part of the excitement is what people bring. We’ve had so many community members build amazing lanterns from home.”
Anyone can build a lantern, Witvliet said, since they can range from simple structures to more complex ones with bamboo. And afterwards, people can keep them for their home.
For those who want to keep it simple, Jellyfish Lantern Kits can be purchased at Island Blue, Buddies Toys, the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea and The Brentwood Bay Village Empourium. There are also how-to videos on the ArtSea website.
At the festival, there will be a free paper-cup-lantern-making station that can be filled with tea lights and decorated with ribbon, tissue, pipe cleaners and colouring pens. Attendees can also purchase, by donation, pre-made memory lanterns, which include a ribbon on which people can write messages, jokes or memories.
“There are a lot of meaningful and quite profound experiences that we’ve had over the years,” Witvliet said. “It’s become quite a beloved little festival.”
The colourful procession will start at 8:30 p.m. along the Sidney Waterfront Walkway and end at the Bandshell.
Seaside Magazine – August 2024
Edible Magazine – July / August 2024
Check out the Salish Sea Lantern Festival spotlight on page 24/25 in the July/August issue of Edible Magazine! Artistic Director of the festival, Jennifer Witvliet (and the seagull lantern), and long-time volunteer, Eloise Meredith (and fish lantern) are featured in Beacon Park, Sidney – the location of the annual Salish Sea Lantern Festival.
Seaside Magazine – August 2023
CLICK to read text for Full Article
The Salish Sea Lantern Festival, Illuminating Community Unity through Art and Light.
The Salish Sea Lantern Festival is a highly anticipated event that inspires creativity and community spirit. From August 21 to 26, the Week of Lanterns encourages people from all walks of life to create and display lanterns inspired by creatures from the Salish Sea. Throughout the Saanich Peninsula, individuals, families, neighborhoods, and organizations create stunning lantern displays, transforming the region into a mesmerizing gallery of light that captivates the imagination.
On Saturday, August 26th starting at 6:30 PM, the community is invited to Beacon Park in Sidney to join the Salish Sea Lantern Festival. This community celebration offers a multitude of activities, including music, entertainment, interactive costumed characters, and photo-worthy lantern installations. Memorial lanterns will be available by donation, allowing attendees to carry a lantern to honor their favorite memory or loved ones. With the talented Daniel Cook and the Radiators taking the stage and Captain Cam Culham as the evening emcee, the undercurrent is sure to be electric.
The true highlight of the evening is the breathtaking lantern procession along the Sidney Waterfront Walkway. As the sun sets, hundreds of participants gather, carrying their hand-crafted lanterns, ready to illuminate the waterfront as part of a magical parade. This awe-inspiring spectacle creates a living tapestry of light and color, uniting the community in a truly unforgettable experience. According to long-time organizer and Artistic Director, Jenn Witvliet, “this experience holds a transformative power for many people.”
The Salish Sea Lantern Festival goes beyond mere entertainment; it breaks down the barriers of culture, language, age, and gender, and provides an inclusive arts and cultural experience for the entire community. Through the Week of Lanterns, lantern-building workshops, mesmerizing lantern displays, and the grand evening event with its enchanting lantern procession, the Salish Sea Lantern Festival showcases the transformative power of art and culture to bring people together and create lasting memories.
Visit the website to get involved: view free online lantern building tutorials, register for a lantern building workshop, discover where to purchase a simple jellyfish lantern kit ($10 cash, includes all materials), or view images and get inspired to create your own unique lantern. Don’t miss out on this incredible event that celebrates the power of community, art, and the mesmerizing beauty of the Salish Sea Lantern Festival. artsea.ca
Photo courtesy John Stephen (corrected from Seaside Article)
Source: https://seasidemagazine.ca/
Seaside Magazine – August 2022
By Alice Bacon for Seaside Magazine
Lanterns Light Up Sidney’s Salish Sea – CLICK to Read Full Article
Reproduced from article above, written by Alice Bacon for Seaside Magazine
It’s hard to imagine that Sidney’s waterfront could be more beautiful than it already is, but visualize a summer’s eve11ing at dusk, the tide reflecting the light of hundreds of handmade lanterns, the park filled with elaborately costumed characters and a convivial atmosphere of creativity and community, and you have the Ninth Annual Salish Sea Lantern Festival, returning to light up the night on Saturday, August 20, 2022.
Originally conceived of in 2013 by Artistic Director Jennifer Witvliet, the festival began as a simple lantern walk for children, and has since grown into a large-scale celebration of culture, creativity community and ecology, with elaborately constructed light-up structures of mermaids, orca, salmon and many other creatures of the sea, real and imagined.
Sidney has been Jennifer’s home base since age nine. Her family has strong ties to the water: her father Peter was a crab fisherman in Tofino and her mother Sheila has been very involved in the boating community in Canoe Cove and Sidney. Jennifer has always loved the water and her art practise has long been connected to themes of the sea. She attended the Victoria College of Art and Camosun College’s Visual Arts program before transferring to Emily Carr College of Art and Design where she studied fine art and filmmaking. After working as a production artist for the Inter-Cultural Association’s Luminara Lantern Festival for six years, and as artistic associate for Saanich Recreation’s Autumn Moon Festival, Jennifer felt strongly about creating the same kind of light and magic in her home community. She approached the ArtSea Community Arts Council to partner with her on the idea, and the Salish Sea Lantern Festival was born.
After a change in format due to Covid restriction, Jennifer is particularly looking forward to the return of the festival environment and the enhancements to the event chat are planned. “I am really, really excited about coming back together, creating spectacle and beauty as a community, ” says Jennifer.
“This year we have more installations, more performers, and more time to enjoy the magic together.” In addition to a procession of lanterns around Beacon Park and the Bandstand area, there will be more static installations set up for people to enjoy at their leisure. Areas along the walkway and the Pier will be emblazoned with various creations that have been produced by Jennifer and her team of volunteer artists.
“I just love working with the volunteers,” enthuses Jennifer. “It’s really neat – it keeps me going. We get together in a creative zone, working, talking, laughing and creating. Everyone lights up – it is just so positive. They seem to need me as much as I need them. The sense of community is really strong”.
In face, community participation is integral to the magic of the festival and the Week of Lanterns leading up to the event. The public are encouraged to create a lantern
to display at home August 14-20th and then bring it to the festival. Costumes, face paint, light-up accessories or whatever catches the imagination are also encouraged. Live entertainment at the Bandshell and throughout the waterfront area includes folk rockers Daniel Cook and the Radiators, the Uminari Taiko drummers, local singers, musicians, costumed interactive characters, giant puppets and stilt-walker. The price of admission? Your creativity and community spirit.
Salish Sea Lantern Festival is presented by ArtSea Community Arts Council. Details available at www.artsea.ca.
Photos courtesy Chris Cheadle, Nuttycake Photography, Bob Orchard and Sharon Stoose.
Source: https://seasidemagazine.ca/
Read Full Article (Click)
A lantern festival snuffed out by COVID-19 the past two years has reignited.
The 2022 Salish Sea Lantern Festival, organized by ArtSea community arts council, is in progress on the Saanich Peninsula and runs through Aug. 20, when the familiar procession of lanterns will parade along Sidney’s waterfront starting at 8:45 p.m.
The event also features costumed characters and music, with this year’s performances at Beacon Park coming from Daniel Cook & the Radiators, as well as the Uminari Taiko Drumming Ensemble, starting at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday.
The event sees participants create lanterns of various complexities, many with an aquatic theme. People can either build their own following a free online tutorial, or pick up a jellyfish lantern kit for $10 with all materials included at Island Blue, Buddies Toys and The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea store in Sidney. Organizers also invite the public to create a lantern in memory of a time, person, pet, or place at a new memory lantern station.
RELATED: Traditional salmon designs brighten Salish Sea Lantern Festival
The event also features large-scale lantern installations around the region, with residents invited to tour them using an interactive map.
Thousands of residents and visitors have been drawn to Sidney for past editions of the festival, which ranks among the highlights on the region’s events calendar, offering a celebration of art, culture, light and community.
For more information visit artsea.ca
Source: https://www.vicnews.com/community/salish-sea-lantern-festival-lights-up-sidney/
Thanks to CHEK News and Veronica Cooper for profiling the Salish Sea Lantern Festival with ArtSea Community Arts Council. Vital People is sponsored by the Victoria Foundation.
Salish Sea Festival: A Week of Lanterns
Salish Sea Lantern Festival with ArtSea Community Arts Council.
View Photo Galleries from the Salish Sea Lantern Festival
Thanks to Artistic Director, Jennifer Witvliet and the volunteer lantern festival team!
Artistic Director, Jennifer Witvliet, and an amazing team of volunteers plan and deliver the annual Salish Sea Lantern Festival. This incredible team assembles jellyfish lantern kits, fish lantern kits, and star lantern kits, and provides lantern tutorials and workshops so that the community can create their own beautiful lanterns. They also create large-scale lantern displays around the Peninsula and organize the evening lantern parade along the waterfront in Sidney!
ArtSea would like to thank our 2025 Provincial and Municipal Partners!
We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia, as well as the municipalities of North Saanich, Central Saanich, and the Town of Sidney.
ArtSea would also like to thank our 2025 community partners and festival sponsors!
ArtSea Community Arts Council thanks Keating Computers for sponsoring in-kind printing for 2026 Salish Sea Lantern Festival. Be sure to check out Keating Computers for all your printing and IT needs, including: 3D printing, scam & fraud prevention, computer repair, fax & copy centre.
Thanks to Beacon Law Centre for being a Community Supporter of the Salish Sea Lantern Festival
Thanks to Seaside Magazine for featuring the Salish Sea Lantern Festival in the August Event Calendar!
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ArtSea is fortunate to operate within the unceded territory of the Coast Salish People – within the traditional territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation – Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout and Tseycum peoples.
