The Night Lights Festival stands as one of Utah's and the nation's most renowned events. With over 13,500 lanterns illuminating the sky at the Deseret Peak Complex each year, this festival is an absolute must-visit. Drawing in more than 250 thousand visitors annually, it has become a beloved attraction for people from all over.
Schedule at the Fest
On May 24 and May 25 (which are two separate events), the festivities will run from 5 pm to 11 pm. On September 21, the hours are 3 pm-9 pm. Besides the massive spectacular light show, the organizers have prepared other awesome activities to enjoy while you wait. The area will be packed with vendor booths, game zones, food isles, and beer and wine gardens. You’ll also find a bunch of fire pits to make delicious s’mores, so remember to grab your s’more kit (in case you forget, food vendors sell it there). Each fire pit is designed for 4-8 people, allowing you to spend quality time with your folks.
The Lantern Launch
As the sun sets, the live music session will start with the performance of Fred Lee, the incredible resident musician, and other talented artists' performances. After the sun is down, the lantern launch begins. It lasts for 15-30 minutes, and all the lanterns are carefully collected afterward. The team will do their best to pick up every single lantern, but even if they miss some, there's nothing to worry about, as all the torches are 100% biodegradable and should fully burn out before touching the earth's surface.
Location & Tickets
The Deseret Peak Complex is just 5.6 miles (9 km) away from Tooele in Grantsville, Utah, and 35 miles (56 km) from Salt Lake City. General admission at the door is $69 per ticket for any scheduled events, but during April, you can buy tickets at a discounted price of $33-$43. Admission for children aged six and under is free. Each ticket includes one lantern. Additional lanterns can be purchased.
The Night Lights festival is a “first come, first serve” kind of event, so plan to be at the location ahead of time and reserve your fire-pit spots beforehand. You can bring along your camp chairs, sun shades, and blankets. Pets, on the other hand, aren’t as welcome—unless they’re service animals.
