Tofino Lantern Festival

“When it comes to the Lantern Festival, you should expect to have your mind blown, your soul rejuvenated, your senses stimulated and happiness to flood over you.” (Westerly News, Aug 2018)

The Tofino Lantern Festival is the Raincoast Education Society’s signature community event and fundraiser, drawing the young and old with an unbelievable variety of handmade lanterns, live music, dance performance, food vendors, and other entertainment.

Don’t miss out on one of Tofino’s most beloved and magical festivals!

19th Annual Tofino Lantern Festival

August 11, 2019

7:30 pm – 10:30 pm @ the Tofino Botanical Gardens

Whether you have been eighteen times before or this is your first time coming out, you don’t want to miss out on the magic and wonder of this year’s Festival! This family-oriented community event is our biggest fundraiser and helps to support our ongoing education and research programs.

Adults: $15 / Kids under 12: FREE

This is a car free event – please make use of the free shuttle running between the village green and the Tofino Botanical Gardens. Please, no dogs at the Festival. This is a drug & alcohol free event.

“The event itself is incredibly enjoyable and reaches so many families…and all the proceeds go right back to all the education programs we provide in the community.” (Westerly News, Aug 2018)

Click here for more Festival details

Lantern-Making Workshops

Want to build your own lantern to light up the night?

Join us outside the Raincoast Education Society office (in the Ecolodge at the Tofino Botanical Gardens) for a lantern-making workshop in the week before the Tofino Lantern Festival!

Supplies provided & pre-constructed lanterns available, $10 – $15

All ages welcome!

Click here for 2019 workshop details

Light up the Night! Lantern Making Contest

We are excited to be running a lantern making contest in 2019, where each category winner takes home a $500 gift card to a local surf shop!

Lantern submissions accepted during our lantern-making workshops, August 6 – 9, 12:30 – 5:00 pm @ the Raincoast office (lower level of the Ecolodge in Tofino).

All lanterns will be displayed and winners announced at this year’s TOFINO LANTERN FESTIVAL on August 11th!

Click Here for Contest Guidelines, Examples, and Tips!

Festival Volunteers

Volunteers are what make this magical community event work. And it’s a ton of fun! We are looking for help during the week leading up to the Tofino Lantern Festival, as well as for the BIG NIGHT.

Come help us by assisting with lantern-making workshops, be part of the set-up, light-up or clean-up crews. Follow this link to sign yourself up for a volunteer position!

Please contact our Festival Coordinator, Chloe Gravel for more details on how you can help!