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Orange County Water Lantern Festival 2026
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As the sun sets over Centennial Park in Santa Ana, thousands of paper lanterns hit the water. For one hour, Orange County becomes something else entirely. August 1-2.
@falkorcommunity
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Sat, Aug 1 – Sun, Aug 2, 2026
Sat 5:00 PM PDT – Sun 9:00 PM PDT
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“As the sun sets over Centennial Park in Santa Ana,…”
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Tell me when it's backWhat it was like
For one hour after dark, you and a few hundred strangers kneel at the edge of a pond and let go of something at the same time.
That is the part no photo prepares you for — not the lanterns, but the moment you set yours on the black water with a name written across it in marker, look up, and see everyone around you doing the exact same thing. A slow carpet of warm light pulling away from the shore together.
It is something you take part in, not something you watch. At check-in you get a kit and a blank lantern, and you spend the early evening decorating it while food trucks run and acoustic music plays. As full dark settles, the whole park moves to the pond. You came with your own reason written on the paper. So did everyone else.
Centennial Park, 3000 W Edinger Ave, Santa Ana. Lanterns from 5pm, launch between 8 and 9 as it gets dark. Free parking, OC bus routes reach it, bring a blanket. Kids 3 and under free.
Bring the person you would want beside you when you let it go.
That is the part no photo prepares you for — not the lanterns, but the moment you set yours on the black water with a name written across it in marker, look up, and see everyone around you doing the exact same thing. A slow carpet of warm light pulling away from the shore together.
It is something you take part in, not something you watch. At check-in you get a kit and a blank lantern, and you spend the early evening decorating it while food trucks run and acoustic music plays. As full dark settles, the whole park moves to the pond. You came with your own reason written on the paper. So did everyone else.
Centennial Park, 3000 W Edinger Ave, Santa Ana. Lanterns from 5pm, launch between 8 and 9 as it gets dark. Free parking, OC bus routes reach it, bring a blanket. Kids 3 and under free.
Bring the person you would want beside you when you let it go.
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