Lantern Floating Hawaii Returns to Ala Moana Beach Park on Memorial Day

The annual Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony will return to Ala Moana Beach Park on Memorial Day, May 25, with organizers expecting over 50,000 attendees for the beloved tradition honoring loved ones who have passed.

Presented by Shinnyo-en, the free event begins at 6:00 p.m. with live musical performances and a program of remembrance, culminating in thousands of paper lanterns being set adrift on the waters of Mamala Bay at sunset. Each lantern carries personal messages and prayers written by participants.

“This ceremony has become one of Hawaii’s most meaningful traditions,” said Shinnyo-en representative Her Holiness Shinso Ito. “It brings people of all backgrounds together in a shared moment of reflection and hope.”

Organizers said they will distribute 7,000 lanterns on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 2:00 p.m. Participants are encouraged to arrive early, as lanterns typically run out by 4:00 p.m. Those without lanterns can still participate by writing messages on community remembrance boards near the main stage.

The event will be livestreamed for the sixth consecutive year, reaching a global audience of over 1.5 million viewers in 2025. TheBus will run extended service on Routes 8, 19, and 20, and a free park-and-ride shuttle will operate from Keehi Lagoon parking lot beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Following the ceremony, all lanterns are collected by a fleet of volunteer kayakers and outrigger canoes in a coordinated cleanup that typically takes about 90 minutes. Shinnyo-en says the ceremony has maintained a zero-marine-debris record since its inception in 1999.