Since 2015
A little light in the middle of winter.
THE STORY
The Mansfield Lantern Festival started in 2015 with a simple idea – bring the community together to mark the winter solstice with light, warmth and a bit of magic. It worked. And people kept coming back.
What began as a humble community gathering now draws more than 3,500 people each year, from locals who’ve been every time to visitors who make the drive from Melbourne just for the weekend. It’s grown, but the heart of it hasn’t changed. It’s still about gathering, making things by hand and finding beauty in the coldest time of year.
The festival is run by Alli Walker of Walker Events, who has called Mansfield home and steered this celebration of the solstice since the beginning.
THE 2026 WEEKEND
In 2026, the Mansfield Lantern Festival expands into a full three-day program for the first time, with events running from Friday evening through to Sunday morning.
Friday night opens with a firelight ceremony, followed by lantern-making workshops and a ticketed Food & Wine event under the fairy lights. Local restaurants across town offer special winter solstice menus all weekend.
Saturday is the main event – the Community Bank Mansfield & District Lantern Parade, with open fires, live music, street performers, local food and drink, and hundreds of handmade lanterns moving through the streets of Mansfield from 5:30pm. Saturday night festival tickets are $5 for 12+.
Sunday morning closes the weekend gently, with a sunrise yoga session among the lanterns followed by a solstice brunch.
THE PLACE
Mansfield sits at the foot of snow-capped Mt Buller in Victoria’s High Country – about two and a half hours from Melbourne and perfectly placed for a winter weekend away. Come for the festival, stay for the region. There’s extraordinary food, wine, craft beer and spirits made right here, and plenty of reasons to linger.
If you’re already heading to Mt Buller for the snow, the lantern festival is the perfect way to round out your trip.
We’re proud of what this festival has become. More than anything, we’re proud that people keep showing up – lanterns in hand, rugged up against the cold — ready to walk together through the dark.
We hope to see you there.
Reviews
Raving Reviews
We love the Mansfield Lantern Festival – our favourite event of the year!
Excellent initiative. Heartwarming to see the community gathering for such a fun event. Congratulations organisers.
Love the Lantern festival, such a good family night out. Thankyou.
Working Together
Our Festival Partners
