Magic, nature, and culture all in one place! The Water Lantern Festival is coming to Mexico City for an experience that combines all of this without having to leave the capital. This unmissable nighttime spectacle will only be around for two days, and before you head out, we have to warn you: this isn’t just any festival.
The event (which will take place on April 18 and 19 at the beautiful Lake Acitlalin in Xochimilco Ecological Park) involves releasing many floating lanterns onto a lake and holds a very special meaning, with a careful ecological focus and some secrets that make it an incomparable festival. Here are four things you probably didn’t know about this experience that’s finally coming to the city.
1. A festival with a millennia-old history that will introduce you to a ritual
The Water Lantern Festival is inspired by the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival in Thailand, a traditional celebration where thousands of paper lanterns are released at night to bring good luck and hope for a bright future.
This famous Asian event (also known as Yi Peng) originated centuries ago, according to the Thailand Foundation, and today it is not only part of Thai culture but also a marvelous light show in the north of the country.
2. An experience in the heart of nature without harming the environment
The floating lantern show in the middle of the night not only offers a beautiful view that looks like something out of a movie, but it also lets you enjoy nature because the main setting is a lake.
The Water Lantern Festival will take place at the incredible Lake Acitlalin in the Xochimilco Ecological Park, a wonderful natural area within the city. To protect this area, during the festival there will be a team dedicated to taking care of every detail so that the flora and fauna of the area are not affected before, during, or after the event.
3. Your wishes might come true by attending the festival
Do you believe in rituals that help make dreams come true? Then you’ll love knowing that this festival has a deep meaning. Every attendee who releases a floating lantern on the lake can write a message, a wish, a goal, a farewell, or a dream on it to let it float away with the water so it can come true. In the end, the lake reflects the community’s hope.
Like the Thai tradition, this festival could be a great opportunity to make a wish. Although admission to the park and the festival is free, if you want your own floating lantern, you can buy a kit here.
4. The Water Lantern Festival is eco-friendly from start to finish
The magic of this festival lies in nature, but to protect the natural area of Lake Acitlalin in Xochimilco, all materials used in this fantastic event are designed to be environmentally friendly.
From floating lanterns made of biodegradable rice paper to recyclable LED candles, the experience includes everything needed so we can all enjoy the entertainment without harming the planet. The price of the lantern (which you can get here) includes its collection.
Additionally, to leave no trace of trash behind, the festival team collects pre-existing trash. And, to encourage the public to support environmental conservation efforts, there will be recycling stations for personal waste.
The Water Lantern Festival is a luminous experience that has amazed thousands of people in New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto, and is finally coming to Mexico City. Remember that admission to the festival on April 18 and 19 at the Xochimilco Ecological Park is free; if you want to get your own floating lantern and release it into the water, check here for available kits.
In addition to enjoying the view filled with lights, there will be music and delicious food during the event, so let your family, friends, or favorite group know about this plan that combines culture and nature.
