As the sun sets over Centennial Park in Santa Ana, thousands of paper lanterns hit the water — and for one hour, Orange County becomes something else entirely. The Orange County Water Lantern Festival returns August 1–2, 2026, with two evenings of music, food trucks, and the kind of communal ritual that people travel hours to be part of. Lanterns open at 5:00 PM each day, with the main lantern launch happening between 8:00 and 9:00 PM as darkness falls over the park pond. Every attendee receives a lantern kit at check-in: you'll decorate your lantern with the included markers — write a wish, a name, a message — then …