Lantern festival to illuminate Sacramento sky soon. Here’s where and how to get tickets
Update: County firefighters say this event won’t be allowed. Here’s what we know
If you’re driving by Sacramento Raceway Park in October, you might notice soft, yellow lights on the horizon.
The Lights Lantern Festival is coming to the county, inviting residents to decorate and light their own lanterns alongside live music and entertainment. This is one of several festival stops, which include Washington D.C., New York and Chicago.
There will also be local food trucks, according to the event website, and once the sky is dark, attendees will release the lanterns into the air.
Where and when is the festival?
The festival will be at Sacramento Raceway, 5305 Excelsior Road.
It opens at 3 p.m. on Oct. 21.
Ticket prices?
General admission for people 13 and up starts at $45 before taxes.
Kids 4 to 12 are $12 and do not include a lantern packet.
The festival as a Date Night special for $150, which includes two tickets, two lantern kits, a blanket, teddy bear and a bottle of apple cider with champagne flutes.
You can buy tickets on the website.
The environment and safety precautions
There are safety precautions in place, according to the festival website.
The lanterns are biodegradable, made of rice paper, string and bamboo, and there is no metal wiring.
“The rice-paper body of the lantern is fire-resistant to prevent the flame from traveling from the small fuel-source suspended in the middle,” it stated.
They also have employees who gather and clean up lanterns within 24 hours after the festival.
“Our crew is equipped to retrieve lanterns that may end up landing in trees, and though uncommon, a tree service company will be brought in if needed,” it stated.
They add that they communicate with fire experts to understand the area of the festival, create fire action plans and on-site resources and fire crew.
Have a question? Email us at servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
This story was originally published July 12, 2023 at 9:27 AM.