Lighthouse to glow with musical Lantern Fest 

Lantern Fest, an outdoor festival known for its display of over 100 colorful, hanging lanterns,will be celebrated this Saturday, Nov. 9, from 6 to 10 p.m. ET at the Crooked River Lighthouse outside Carrabelle.

Lighting up the night at the 1895 maritime landmark, will be music by gifted Irish musicians, Killavil; a glow-in-the-dark performance from the Tallahassee State College Dancers; and traditional Chinese music by Master Zheng player Dr. Haiqiong Deng and members of the Florida State University Chinese Music Ensemble. 

Michael, Rachel, and Dan Stribling form the trio Killavil. [ Crooked River Lighthouse ]

Festivalgoers can also enjoy evening tower climbs, ancient craft demonstrations, museum exhibits, and food and desserts. 

Killavil, a part of the traditional Irish music scene throughout the U.S. and abroad, consists of a trio of gifted siblings – Michael, Rachel, and Dan Stribling – who bring the spirit of traditional Irish music to life with their energetic and dance-worthy tunes. Michael enchants on the uilleann pipes, tin whistle, and flute; Rachel captivates on the fiddle; and Dan rounds out the group with his mastery of the Irish bouzouki, bodhrán, and piano. 

The Tallahassee State College Dancers have nurtured and inspired creative dancers through its outreach program for over 20 years. Haiqiong will return to perform alongside the dancers, showcasing her mastery of the 21-string Chinese gu-zheng (zheng).

Dr. Yin Yang, Safan You and Yueyue Zhu will join Haiqiong for a special performance of FSU’s Chinese Music Ensemble, one of the oldest in the states. The ensemble provides a platform for FSU students and people from the community to play traditional and folk music from diverse regions in China. In the past two decades, the ensemble has presented at festivals, museums and concert halls around Florida, and has contributed richness to Florida culture. The instruments include the zheng, along with a two-string Chinese fiddle called erhu, the Chinese transverse flute called the dizi, and a Chinese hammered dulcimer. 

Two young lantern ladies make the rounds at Lantern Fest. [ FOMO Photography ]

Many of the hanging lanterns on display throughout lighthouse park are works of art hand-made by Joan Matey and gifted local artists. Ancient crafts demonstrators will share their talents, food will be available for purchase from vendors and the Beacon Bistro will be selling desserts and coffee.

Bring a chair and revel in this birthday party as the lighthouse turns 129 years old. Advance tickets are recommended. Cost is $15 in advance and $20 at the gate. Tickets and details are available at CrookedRiverLighthouse.com/Lantern-Fest or at the lighthouse gift shop. For more information, contact (850) 697-2732 or carrabellelighthouse@gmail.com.

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