Water lantern festival
FinishedNational Harbor Water Lantern Festival
Oxon Hill, Maryland
August 8, 2026 – August 9, 2026
Last verified · 9 official sources
At a glance
Quick facts
- Season dates
- August 8, 2026 – August 9, 2026
- Venue
- National Harbor SouthPointe
- Usual hours
- For the August 8–9, 2026 summer event, gates opened at 5:30 p.m. Eastern; lantern decorating began at 8 p.m.; the water launch ran 8:30–9:30 p.m. on each listed evening. Future dates are not announced.
- Format
- Water lantern festival
- Organizer
- Water Lantern Festival
Status & verification
Event status and verification
Finished The last verified season ran August 8, 2026 – August 9, 2026. Check the official event site for a future season announcement.
Last verified · 9 official sources
National Harbor 2026 summer calendar ↗Water Lantern Festival D.C.-area organizer page ↗National Harbor 2026 fall guide ↗Dates & hours
August 8, 2026 – August 9, 2026
For the August 8–9, 2026 summer event, gates opened at 5:30 p.m. Eastern; lantern decorating began at 8 p.m.; the water launch ran 8:30–9:30 p.m. on each listed evening. Future dates are not announced.Chesapeake Inspired August 8 listing ↗Chesapeake Inspired August 9 listing ↗
Location & directions
Parking & transportation
- National Harbor lists covered garages, surface lots, and limited metered street parking for the destination. Rates can change on event dates; the 2026 event listing did not confirm dedicated festival parking.National Harbor parking guide ↗
- National Harbor lists WMATA bus routes and a water taxi from Alexandria as general ways to reach the waterfront. The venue has not published a future-event shuttle or drop-off plan.National Harbor transportation guide ↗
What to expect
- National Harbor listed the 2026 summer event as “Water Lantern Festival.” It centered on decorating and releasing floating lanterns at SouthPointe: a participant launch rather than a walk-through installation.National Harbor 2026 summer calendar ↗Chesapeake Inspired August 8 listing ↗Chesapeake Inspired August 9 listing ↗
- The organizer labels its area page Washington, D.C.; the confirmed summer venue was at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.Water Lantern Festival D.C.-area organizer page ↗National Harbor 2026 summer calendar ↗Chesapeake Inspired August 8 listing ↗
Food & drinks
- The August 2026 regional event listings included food trucks and music during the 5:30–9:30 p.m. program. Future offerings are not announced.Chesapeake Inspired August 8 listing ↗Chesapeake Inspired August 9 listing ↗
Tips before you go
- The organizer’s area page says the festival will return, while National Harbor’s fall guide mentions the festival without a date. Neither page confirms another National Harbor season or a current ticket sale.Water Lantern Festival D.C.-area organizer page ↗National Harbor 2026 fall guide ↗
Frequently asked questions
Is this event in Washington, D.C.?
No. The verified 2026 summer venue was National Harbor SouthPointe in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The organizer uses a Washington, D.C. area label for its listing.
Chesapeake Inspired August 8 listing ↗Water Lantern Festival D.C.-area organizer page ↗Are future National Harbor tickets on sale?
No new National Harbor date or ticket offer was published on the organizer’s current area page at this verification.
Water Lantern Festival D.C.-area organizer page ↗What did participants do at the 2026 event?
They decorated floating lanterns before the scheduled water launch. The regional listing placed the launch at 8:30–9:30 p.m. on both August evenings.
Chesapeake Inspired August 8 listing ↗Chesapeake Inspired August 9 listing ↗Official sources
These pages were checked on September 26, 2026. Follow the organizer’s current instructions if anything changes.
- National Harbor 2026 summer calendar ↗Official event schedule · August 8–9 summer event at National Harbor
- National Harbor 2026 fall guide ↗Official event schedule · undated fall mention, without another confirmed event date
- Water Lantern Festival D.C.-area organizer page ↗Official organizer contact · organizer identity, return-soon status without a new date or tickets
- Chesapeake Inspired August 8 listing ↗Official tourism guide · SouthPointe venue and Oxon Hill address, Saturday hours and water launch, food trucks
- Chesapeake Inspired August 9 listing ↗Official tourism guide · Sunday hours and water launch
- National Harbor Southpointe venue ↗Venue directions and parking · Southpointe venue in National Harbor Waterfront District
- National Harbor Southpointe address ↗Venue directions and parking · Southpointe street address and Maryland ZIP code
- National Harbor parking guide ↗Venue directions and parking · general parking options and event-rate caveat
- National Harbor transportation guide ↗Venue directions and parking · general bus and water-taxi access
Update history
- — Confirmed the finished August 8–9, 2026 summer program at SouthPointe in Maryland. A fall guide mentions the festival without a date; the organizer has not published a new season.National Harbor 2026 summer calendar ↗Chesapeake Inspired August 8 listing ↗Chesapeake Inspired August 9 listing ↗National Harbor 2026 fall guide ↗Water Lantern Festival D.C.-area organizer page ↗
Last verified · 9 official sources
Event details can change. Check the official event page before your visit.