If an Angeleno tells you they’re planning to head eastbound onto Highway 15, it’s probably safe to assume they’re seeking the bright neon lights of Las Vegas a few hours away. But on the eve of October 18th another destination off the very same highway to hell will become the symbolical antithesis of Sin City.
Fashioned irreligiously after Thailand’s world famous Yi Peng floating lantern festival – a Northern Thai celebration honoring Buddha during the first full moon of November – 10,000 participants will be invited to the barren flats of the Mojave Desert’s Jean Dry Lake bed to make a wish, light a fuel lantern, and watch the spectacle of thousands of floating paper lantern dreams leisurely float away during the inaugural RiSE Lantern Festival.
Attendees will disembark from shuttles to be greeted by tens of thousands of candles lighting the path along a 20 minute walk from the edge of the endorheic lake to a center stage where food, drink, and festivities await, alongside the folksy warbles of singer, Joshua James. After some time to personalize each lantern with markers, at the strike of 7:30 p.m. the first of two waves of 10,000 floating lanterns will be released in unison over the desert sky in “celebration of the life, joys, dreams, hopes, and blessing of each participant”.
But unlike its Thai counterpart, you’ll have to pay between $59 - $114* for the right to participate in the undoubtedly Instagram-worthy evening (no access to the event will be available except by event shuttle); each assigned seating section ticket includes a bamboo mat, two sky lanterns to launch, and one ground torch for lighting the sky lanterns. And don’t fret, the lanterns are 100% biodegradable, with the event’s sponsor promising their team of volunteers will retrieve all 20,000 lanterns at the conclusion of the evening, so your candle-lit wishes won’t be blown out by concerns about littering the desert.
* Those looking for an affordable alternative should note volunteers aiding with setup, support, and clean up duties will be awarded a free ticket to the event.
Photo via RiSE
More on The Bold Italic’s Los Angeles coverage here.