Glowing lanterns, music, dance, and food bring magic & history together at the Crooked River Lighthouse Lantern Fest.
On November 28, 2020 from 6 – 10pm throughout the grounds of lighthouse park (1975 Hwy 98 West, Carrabelle Beach, FL) the night will light up with an adapted Lantern Fest with the Crooked River Lighthouse. Join the glow of over a hundred colorful, hanging lanterns under the night sky in celebration of the Crooked River Lighthouse’s 125th birthday! Local lore, glowing lanterns, music, dance, ancient craft demonstrations, and food bring magic and history together! Come revel in this unique birthday party in honor of this 1895 maritime landmark, the Crooked River Lighthouse!
This remarkable, open-air festival has an awesome display of beautiful lanterns suspended around the grounds of the park. This year the lanterns are also in new locations in the park including a new ground-level, lighted display. The same talented musicians who amazed the audience last year, Frank Lindamood and the dynamic women from North Carolina, Ali Kafka, and Sarah Gilbert will perform Old Time music on banjo, mandolin, and fiddle. There will also be a performance from another gifted musical group, Christy Crandall and the Bog Lilies. The grounds include a widespread sound system so visitors will be able to hear the music from all over the park. Guests should also bring their own chairs and find a perfect, socially-distanced spot in the park to enjoy the music.
Vendors, Music, and More!
A small, select group from the Tallahassee Community College Dance Company will wander the park presenting their amazing performances. Ancient craft demonstrations from blacksmith John Pfund will be set up earlier in the afternoon. Try delicious food from Dave’s Dawg House food stand or bring your own and have a picnic. Delectable desserts from the Beacon Bistro and wonderful maritime items from the Lighthouse will be available for purchase at the outdoor, Gift Shop booth. Adding even more glow to the evening, a warm firepit will be burning. To ensure social distancing and for the safety of guests, staff, and volunteers, the Keeper’s House Museum will be closed to the public during the event.
Tickets
This year ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE is highly recommended as admission will be very limited due to COVID-19 precautions. Admission tickets will also be available for a suggested donation of $5 for adults and $1 for children. Purchase tickets online at https://www.crookedriverlighthouse.com/lantern-fest-tickets/ or also at the Crooked River Lighthouse Gift Shop. If any are remaining, tickets will also be available at the door for an $8 suggested donation (exact change requested).
Health & Safety Procedures
Attendees asked to follow all health guidelines to help keep themselves safe including social distancing and sanitizing hands frequently. Hand sanitizing stations are also around the park. Masks required whenever guests are in line or interacting with vendors, staff, or volunteers (i.e., ticket takers, food vendor, gift shop). Crafty folks can also get creative with masks that glow in the dark or light up to match the festival theme. Please note: there will be NO tower climbs due to the number of attendees expected.
The Crooked River Lighthouse includes the lighthouse tower, which is a historic landmark, a museum and gift shop, all surrounded by a city-owned park with a playground and picnic areas.
The Keeper’s House Museum and Gift Shop is open from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The Crooked River Lighthouse Tower is open, weather permitting, for climbs Wednesday thru Sundays from 1:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m. The cost for climbing the lighthouse is $5.00 per person. All climbers must be 44 inches tall.
The Crooked River Lighthouse Park is publicly owned and operated as a historic and natural resource conservation site and outdoor recreation area. It is typically open from dawn to dusk. Special events may also be scheduled during the evenings.
Check the Crooked River Lighthouse website or Facebook page for more information. For questions, contact the Crooked River Lighthouse at (850) 697-2732 or carrabellelighthouse@gmail.com. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.
Want to visit more Florida lighthouses? Check out our favorites here!
We attended another Lantern Fest at the Central Florida Zoo in January 2020. Read about it here.
Featured image – Crooked River Lighthouse Keeper’s House with lanterns going up during the day. Photo by Sheri Wesson
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