Promoting and strengthening the artistic and cultural development of Orange County, North Carolina
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Winter Solstice Lantern Weekend
December 19, 2020 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
An event every day that begins at 6:00 pm, repeating until December 21, 2020
FIND INFORMATION ON THE WALK:
The Hillsborough Arts Council’s (HAC) annual Solstice Lantern Walk is a celebration of the winter solstice– the longest night of the year and the start of the winter season. Since 2016, HAC has invited participants to join a processional of over 2,000 walkers carrying handmade white lanterns through the quiet darkness along Riverwalk from River Park to Gold Park and back again. This year, for the safety of our community, the 5th annual Solstice Lantern Walk will be a Solstice Lantern Self-Guided Tour. Hillsborough residents are invited to create and hang lanterns from their front porches, trees or other visible outdoor spaces for walkers and drivers to enjoy during the weekend of December 19-21, in celebration of the winter solstice on December 21.
We invite participants to register and provide a street address for the Solstice Lantern Self-Guided Tour. You DO NOT need to live/work in downtown Hillsborough to participate. All participants are welcome. Your registration information will be used to create a route for use by visitors or other community members as they explore the community’s handmade lantern creations. Participants in the Solstice Lantern Self-Guided Tour will be asked to enjoy the light show from sidewalks and neighborhood streets and to keep at a safe distance from porches and property.
HAC will once again sell a basic solstice lantern for $5. Creating a lantern is a family activity that has always been a staple of this program. In addition to our $5 traditional lantern kits, we will be adding variations on lantern design for those interested in being more creative this year. All kits will be available in limited quantities and sold on a first-come, first-served basis. We regret that kits cannot be reserved in advance. New and updated lantern-making DIY videos will be posted on our website. These videos are intended for a variety of skill levels and recommend using items that can be easily purchased or found at home.
Lantern kits will soon be sold at HAC’s Gift Shop (102 N. Churton Street) or can be purchase at our virtual store. All proceeds from the lantern kits support HAC’s commitment to bring arts programming to Hillsborough and the surrounding area.
