Annual Winter Solstice Lantern Festival

The winter solstice marks the longest, darkest night of the year. This dance of sun and earth has inspired celebrations of the human spirit throughout the ages, and our own Winter Solstice Lantern Festival illuminates the night with lanterns, fire, singing, dancing, music, storytelling, and the famous Labyrinth of Light. The labyrinth has long been used for meditation, prayer and sites of ritual in various cultures around the world. Created with over 600 pure beeswax candles, the winter solstice labyrinth invites you to warm yourself in a self-guided ceremony intended to help release old attachments and envision new possibilities as the darkest night of the year births a new season.

With the light of our lanterns set against the longest, darkest night of the year we celebrate the winter solstice and the return of the sun! Honouring many cultural traditions, we’ll gather with our communities to share music and art, celebrate nature, and shine our special light on each other. Please join us!

Who is it for?

All ages – Family

Tickets:

Labyrinth of Light: $20

Globe Lantern: $25

Nature Lantern $35 (price includes tax, carrying stick and reusable LED)

Buy Online

 

Date: Sunday December 21, 2025

Celebrate the longest night by creating a lantern and joining one of the 3 lantern processions that converge in the Water Park. on Granville Island.

Starting points:

6:00PM

• Leg-in-Boot Square

• H.R. MacMillan Space Centre

6:20PM

• Triangle Square (in front of GI Market)

Roundhouse Community Centre

Ongoing Activities | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

• Simple Lantern Workshop, Registration at Front Desk: $10
• Festive Headdress Making, By donation, while supplies last

Music Performances | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Tiddley Cove Morris Dancers | 7:45 PM – 8:00 PM, Traditional English music and dance

Secret Lantern Walk | 8:00 PM – 8:45 PM, Lantern procession following the Tiddley Cove Morris Dancers

Labyrinth of Light | 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM, Meditative walking path of 500 pure beeswax candles

Bowl toning by musician Lori Bella

False Creek Community Centre, 1318 Cartwright Street

• Mini Gym Workshops, 5:00 – 6:30 PM | Last-Minute Lantern Workshop
• 6:00 PM | Headdress Making
• 7:00 – 9:30 PM | Nature Lantern Workshop
• Tyee Hall | 6:00 – 9:30 PM | Mind of a Snail Puppet Co.
• Games Room . 7:30 – 8:00 PM | Salalaul
• Songs from the Baltic region | 8:00 – 8:30 PM | Shaughna Born
• Dark Tales of Solstice Past | 8:30 – 9:00 PM | Salalaul
• Songs from the Baltic region

  Lind Hall (Main Stage)
  7:00 PM | Shaughna Born – MC
  7:15 PM | Bob Baker – Opening Welcome
  7:30 – 8:15 PM | Spakwus Slolem Dancers

• Traditional Squamish dancing | 8:15 – 8:45 PM | Vancouver Morris Men
• Traditional English music and dance | 8:45 – 9:30 PM | Carnival Band

Performance Works, 1218 Cartwright Street

Labyrinth of Light | 4:30 – 10:30 PM, Meditative walk of 500 pure beeswax candles

Festival House, 1398 Cartwright Street
Solstice Drum Circle | 7:30 – 9:30 PM
Led by master drummer Ron Radar Stelting
Drums and instruction provided
Venue:

Parade Map

neighbourhoods of Yaletown, Granville Island

False Creek Community Centre, 1318 Cartwright St.

Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews

Performance Works,1218 Cartwright St.

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