Public Invited to Memorialize and Remember Loved Ones at Lantern Lighting Celebration at Lakewood Cemetery
Lanterns Decorated to Memorialize Loved Ones Create a Breathtaking Moment of Serenity, Commemoration and Connection

WHAT: 9th Annual Lantern Lighting Celebration at Lakewood Cemetery

Lakewood Cemetery invites the public to its ninth annual Lantern Lighting Celebration the weekend of September 22-23, 2023. The event offers an opportunity for people to remember loved ones and celebrate their lives by decorating, then releasing floating, candlelit lanterns onto Lakewood’s Jo Pond. This event is open to the public.

At the event, people can decorate a paper lantern sleeve with favorite pictures, messages and personal sayings, poems and other symbols of remembrance. At dusk, in a beautiful ceremony, attendees gather to release their lanterns onto Lakewood’s ten-acre lake, as the names of loved ones are read aloud accompanied by the stirring sound of bagpipes. The effect of the candlelit lanterns floating on the lake is breathtaking and magical, connecting people to their loved ones and to others who are remembering and grieving.

“Part of our vision at Lakewood is to bring more creativity to the ways in which we memorialize those we love and miss,” said Lakewood president, Chris Makowske. “Our Lantern Lighting Celebration is a way for people to hold space for remembrance in a beautiful and sacred place, through creative expression and in the comforting presence of others.”

Since its inception in 2015, the Lantern Lighting Celebration has grown — through strong community support — to more than 2,000 attendees in 2022. “Building on the long-term success of our Memorial Day event and our other seasonal celebrations, our Lantern Lighting Celebration is one of many ways Lakewood makes memorialization more relevant, accessible and inviting for all generations,” Makowske said. “The response from the community has been overwhelming.”

Throughout the event, guests can enjoy live music, food and refreshments from local food vendors, and the beauty of Lakewood’s scenic grounds. Self-guided tour brochures of the cemetery will also be available.

WHERE: Lakewood Cemetery
3600 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55408

WHEN: September 22-23
5:00 – 8:30 p.m. each night*

*Attendees have the option of choosing one of two evenings to honor their loved ones – Friday, September 22nd or Saturday, September 23rd.
If it rains all tickets will be transferred to Rain Day: Sunday, September 24th

COST: Admission is free, but there is a fee per lantern: Lanterns are $10 advance / $15 day of (Admission is free)

RESERVE LANTERNS: HERE

MORE INFO: HERE

Visit Youtube to watch a short video from a previous year’s event or watch this longer video to hear attendees speak about their experience.