Thousands of glowing lanterns are set to drift across the water at Leo J. Ryan Park next weekend, and Foster City wants drivers ready for the crowds that come with them. The city says the Water Lantern Festival is heading to the park on October 3 and October 4, 2026, and it's warning residents to expect heavier traffic and to watch for pedestrians near the venue.
The City of Foster City posted the warning on social media, noting the surge in foot traffic expected around the park at 650 Shell Blvd. According to the City of Foster City
, drivers should “use caution when driving near pedestrians” as festival-goers stream into the area. The city was careful to clarify that it isn't the one running the show, stating plainly, “Please be advised that this is not a City event.”
The festival itself is a traveling production that has set up in more than 175 cities worldwide and has launched over 2 million lanterns since it began more than eight years ago, according to the event's own accounting on the Water Lantern Festival's San Francisco event page. Gates open at 5 pm both nights, with food trucks, live music, and lawn games running until 9 pm. Lantern decorating starts at 7:30 pm, and the actual launch — described on the same event page as a choreographed, hour-long ceremony surrounded by more than 2,000 people — runs from 8 to 9 pm.
What's Included and What It Costs
Every ticket covers a floating lantern, a decorating kit, an LED candle, a marker, a wristband, and entry to the launch itself, per the event page. Pricing starts at $36.99, according to the event page. Groups can also grab a family-and-friends four-pack, while couples can opt for a discounted date-night package.
The festival also offers VIP access, the event page notes. Children under 8 can attend for free and don't need a ticket at all, while anyone 8 or older does. The site is already flagging the event as expected to sell out.
Safety, Weather and the Fine Print
Organizers describe the lanterns themselves as biodegradable, with paper covers and natural wood bases, lit by reusable, recyclable, battery-powered LED candles rather than open flames. The event page states that every single lantern is collected after each event, and the festival bills itself as family-friendly and rain or shine — though it may be delayed or rescheduled if lightning or high winds move in. Tickets are non-refundable but can be transferred to someone else, according to the Water Lantern Festival's website.
Foster City wouldn't be the Bay Area's first brush with the traveling lantern spectacle. A similar San Francisco edition was listed on festivals.com for October 6, 2019, described then as a floating lantern event centered on food, games, vendors, music and thousands of lanterns, with organizers saying at the time that tickets were selling fast. For now, Foster City's message to residents is simple: enjoy the glow, but slow down around Leo J. Ryan Park while it's happening.
