// - Lantern Parade
Lantern Parade
Join us for one of Atlanta's favorite new traditions - the Lantern Parade!
Created and hosted by Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, the Lantern Parade marks the beginning of the annual Art on the Atlanta BeltLine exhibition, the largest temporary art exhibition in the south! Come join the fun on September 10, 2016!
Parade weekend kicks off the Art on the Atlanta BeltLine annual exhibition, which will be held early September through mid-November. Check out the continuing exhibition on the trails right now and we’ll see you for more later this year!
The History of the Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade
Every year, Art on the Atlanta BeltLine has celebrated our exhibition with a captivating and energetic Lantern Parade, created and hosted by Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons.
The glowing procession of light, music, and color carry over the entire length of the Eastside Trail, opening Art on the Atlanta BeltLine the Saturday after Labor Day each year.
While lantern parades have wound through city streets and waterways around the globe for centuries, the Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade debuted on the Atlanta art scene in 2010. In 2012, the event grew to embrace 1,200 participants and tailgaters along the parade route. The 2015 Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade blew apart everyone’s expectations by drawing more than 60,000 people to the Eastside Trail to parade with bright, glowing lanterns.
Return here for updates as the event approaches.
The Lantern Parade is a beautiful illustration of how the brilliance of individuals can illuminate a community.
~ Chantelle Rytter, Captain of the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons
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is there a date set for the 2015 lantern parade? do not want to miss this again!
The Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade will always be the first Saturday after Labor Day! It will move to different parts of the Atlanta BeltLine as they open up.
Yes, leashed dogs are permitted in the Lantern Parade! Decorating pets is also encouraged.
How does one find out more about participating in the parade?
Hi Mike,
You can stay tuned to art.beltline.org/lantern-parade for details as we get closer to the event, but mark your calendar for September 12, 2015 (the parade is always the first Saturday after Labor Day). It begins at dusk and all you have to do is show up – with an illuminated object of some kind, of course! We look forward to seeing you there!
When do you guys plan to update this page for 2015? It’s less than 2 weeks away and there isn’t anything about 2015 here at all. Is it still happening?
Hi Cameron, the page has been updated with the 2015 info for some time, but we did just add a flyer (top right) with more logistical details which should be helpful. Thank you!
Do people wear costumes? Where do you get a lantern??
Yes, some people wear costumes – usually ones that light up in some capacity! Check out our galleries of photos for inspiration: Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade gallery Many people make their own lanterns and we also offer them for sale on our website: shop.beltline.org.
How far is the walk from Piedmont Park to the area where the lantern parade starts?
Two miles on the Eastside Trail.
Are dogs allowed?
Dogs are fine, but be aware that there could be tens of thousands of people at the parade, so make sure you keep your dog leashed & close to you!
This sounds super interesting, this is my first time even hearing about it. How do I sign up or how can I walk or watch it up close?
No need to sign up – all you have to do is show up! Bring a lantern to the Eastside Trail at Irwin Street on September 12 and help us light the trail!
What time does the parade start? I saw there are 2 dates the 11th and 12th. Is that true?
The parade is on September 12, with gathering beginning at 7:15. However, the Old Fourth Ward Fall Festival is on Friday and Saturday to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. More on that here: http://beltline.org/programs/inaugural-old-fourth-ward-fall-festival/
I have a handicap parking sticker and am looking for a place to sit and watch the parade where I don’t have to walk far – love this event but broke my foot over the summer so can’t walk in it this year. Where can I park and get to a close place to watch?
Sorry to hear about your foot but glad you’re planning on coming out! You may want to do some scouting this week to see what handicap spots are available on nearby streets (as most of the available parking is on-street parking). Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark will be in use for the Old Fourth Ward Fall Festival, so parking will be unavailable there.
Does the parade span the entire Beltline so that we can watch from any point on the trail or do we need to go the Old Fourth Ward area to watch?
Hi Lisa, the parade will go from the southern to the northern end of the paved Eastside Trail and you can watch from anywhere along the way (that has a place you can stand off of the trail), but we highly encourage you to participate!! Parking is generally located along street or in the paid lot at Park Tavern.
Could you please give detailed instructions on getting to the parade using MARTA? Would the train stop be Inman Park or MLK? For those of us who can’t walk a great distance, which bus will put us closer to the beltline???
Thanks
Hi Catherine, you can take MARTA to either stop – the Inman Park stop may be a little closer. I would check http://www.itsmarta.com for the full bus schedule. The buses stop running around 8:30 or 9 on Saturday night, so you would be able to take a bus to the start, but you may want to plan to take a cab back to MARTA at the end of the parade. I hope that helps! – Jenny
There are shuttles from North Avenue Station to Ponce City Market which is directly on the Beltline.
Where exactly is the gathering area shown on the map near North Avenue. Where is closest parking for this?
Hi Glenda, the closest parking would be street parking in Historic Fourth Ward Park or the surrounding neighborhoods.
where do the bands play? is it a certain location along the route?
Hi Terri, the bands will all be at the start line and then step off every 15 minutes when the parade starts at 8:15 p.m. They will walk the length of the parade and play in Piedmont Park at the end. Glad you’re coming out!
Hi! This is my first time hearing about his and I’d love to come out to watch, but I can’t quite get there at the 8:15 starting time. How long does the parade usually last? If I showed up towards the end of the parade route a little late would I still be able to see any of it?
Hi Chris, it will take the parade a couple of hours to wind from the southern to northern ends of the Eastside Trail and then the party continues on the green in Piedmont Park, so you should be able to catch it!
Excited!!!
A parade of lanterns, neighbors, watchers, a very unique way to get out and show colors, ideas, feelings, emotions, memories! Light your night in a very simple way, let spirits of life,happiness, creativity, go in a parade to show and express yourself!!!
Is the beltline lantern parade only on the 11th and 12th or will you have another lantern parade soon?
Hi Mony, the next Lantern Parade will be on September 10, 2016. The Old Fourth Ward Fall Fest was on September 11 and 12 this year with the parade taking place on the evening of Sept 12.