Light It Up 2025: An East Toronto Lantern Celebration!
Lantern Making Workshops: Thursdays & Saturdays from March 1st-March 20th, 2025 (various times)
Community Lantern Parade: Saturday March 22nd, 2025, 6:30-8:30PM
FREE to participate
REGISTER HERE for Lantern-Making Workshops
RSVP HERE to the Lantern Parade
On Spring Equinox, day and night are equal, light and dark are in perfect balance – it’s a time to rejoice! Let’s celebrate the return of the sun, of balance, and of the love that got us through the dark of another long, cold winter by filling the east end with light – inside lanterns! Back by extra popular demand and love, our program Light It Up 2025 is presented by East End Arts, Shadowland Theatre, and Workman Arts.
Now entering its FIFTH year, you and your family are invited to join us in this free, accessible, and fun opportunity to create your own lantern of light and love, and share your lantern in our Light It Up Parade on Saturday March 22, 2025 from 6:30-8:30pm with people in your east end community! Scroll down to learn about how you can participate in Light It Up this year!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
MAKE A LANTERN IN OUR WORKSHOPS: This program is all about making and sharing light across the east end, so make a lantern with us! If you’re looking for a fun, in-person experience, join us for one of six FREE in-person lantern-making workshops in east Toronto! Workshops will include all materials and instructions to make your own lanterns, and will be suitable for all ages ten and over. Workshops will take place on Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons from March 1 – March 20, 2025 at different locations across the East End.
Here are the dates and locations to choose from:
–Saturday March 1, 2025, 12:30-2:30PM – @ Crescent Town Club (Main Club Room, 4 The Mkt Pl, East York, Toronto, Ontario, M4C 5M1)
–Thursday March 6, 2025, 6:30-8:30PM – @ Crescent Town Club (Main Club Room, 4 The Mkt Pl, East York, Toronto, Ontario, M4C 5M1)
–Saturday March 8, 2025, 12:30-2:30PM – @ Crescent Town Club (Main Club Room, 4 The Mkt Pl, East York, Toronto, Ontario, M4C 5M1)
–Thursday March 13, 2025, 6:30-8:30PM – @ St. Matthew’s Clubhouse (450 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2N3)
–Saturday March 15, 2025, 12:30-2:30PM – @ St. Matthew’s Clubhouse (450 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2N3)
–Thursday March 20, 2025, 6:30-8:30PM – @ St. Matthew’s Clubhouse (450 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2N3)
Anyone who lives in East Toronto is welcome to register for these workshops. Click below to register for one workshop (Registration is required, light snacks are provided)!
***ACCESSIBILITY OF WORKSHOP LOCATIONS: 1. St Matthew’s Clubhouse (450 Broadview Ave.): Fully physically accessible with a ramp and accessible washroom. 2. Main Club Room at Crescent Town Club (4 The Mkt Pl, East York): Unfortunately, there are stairs to the regular entrance for this location, and there is no elevator by the front entrance. If you require a stair-free/accessible entrance into the building, we ask that you give us a heads up so that we can meet you at a separate entrance and guide you to the workshop room. Thank you for your understanding!
SHARE YOUR LANTERN IN OUR PARADE: After we’ve all made our lanterns, we invite everyone to join us on Saturday March 22, 2025 from 6:30-8:00pm for a Community Lantern Parade & Celebration in Taylor Creek Park to celebrate the Spring Equinox and the return of the sun! With music, glowing lanterns, and the light of community spirit, we will welcome the longer days and bring hope into our hearts, together. The evening will feature a community parade with music, complimentary hot cocoas, and a community fire! Everyone interested in joining the parade is invited to meet us in Taylor Creek park for 6:45pm SHARP. Be sure to RSVP to the Facebook Event so we know how many people are coming, and we will share specific directions there too!
LANTERN VIDEO
If you can’t join us in-person for a workshop, here is a video with Anne from Shadowland Theatre who will show you how to make your own Oiled Paper Lantern at home!
ABOUT SHADOWLAND THEATRE
Shadowland Theatre’s primary focus is to work with a wide range of communities to unearth their distinctive histories, create new stories and celebrate special events. They are known for animating streets, parks, and communities with their bold design sensibility and raucous theatricality. Community collaborations can take place over a number of weeks or months, culminating in large-scale, outdoor shows that leave a legacy of skills and inspiration. Shadowland works in rural and urban landscapes, and has a strong commitment to environmentally-themed, site-engaged work that connects us to the rhythms of our natural world.
ABOUT WORKMAN ARTS
Workman Arts is a multidisciplinary arts organization that promotes a greater understanding of mental health and addiction issues through creation and presentation. They support artists with lived experience through peer-to-peer arts education, public presentations and partnerships with the broader arts community. Workman Arts is the longest-running multidisciplinary arts and mental health organization in Canada.
FUNDERS
Thank you to the Slaight Family Foundation for their support of this program!
