Lights of the Albemarle Lantern Parade

09/06/2026

EMY LOU SIGHTING!!! look who has been out and about. Not too hot for her!!! You still have time to register for the workshop and then you can one of your own to just hang out or to bring her to the Lights of the Albemarle Lantern Parade on New Years Eve!!
www.artsaoa.org/lanternparade

09/02/2026

Let your light shine!
Experience the magic of lantern‑making with Arts of the Albemarle's Lights of the Albemarle Lantern Parade committee. They invite you to make an enchanting lily flower lantern with creator Nicole Smith and support from our parade team.

The excitement kicks off at 6pm at 2 Souls Wine Bar, our workshop sponsor — it's the perfect place to grab a glass of wine and one of their famous paninis to fuel your creativity.

Space is limited, so don't wait.

Cost: $50 AOA members / $60 non‑members.
Sign up at www.artsaoa.org/lanternparade

08/28/2026

Emy Lou is the star lighting the way to our next lantern workshop. This puppet lantern is full of personality and charm, and you’ll get to bring her to life.
Join us Sept. 12th, 10am–1pm as Janice Jones leads this hands‑on session at the AOA Madrin Studio.
Register online at www.artsaoa.org/lanternparade or sign up in person at Arts of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, NC.

08/15/2026

While the Lantern Parade Committee, in collaboration with Arts of the Albemarle and Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc, work on parade logistics, you might like to see the amazing photos from last year captured by Holly Luther and to know a little about how this came to be.

The annual Lights of the Albemarle Lantern parade is a community Celebration of the Albemarle Region hosted by Arts of the Albemarle. It marks the start of a New Year with joy, hope, art and light. Susan Jones Hartley (from Cary) and Linda Starr Starr Fine Art from Raleigh- both Splash artists-separately invited Sue Zeipen Seidel to attend several lantern parades in the Raleigh- Hillsborough areas. Sue was smitten and convinced that Elizabeth City was ready for this kind of community event. Together with Arts of the Albermarle –Lauren Luther and Elizabeth City Downtown –Debbie Malenfant, the first annual Lights of the Albemarle parade was born.

Last year, Gowri Savoor, https://ariveroflight.org/ in anticipation of the first parade, was invited by AOA to begin the lantern design/build process. These workshops were so successful that several local folks formed the Lantern Parade Committee and began designing, building and offering their own workshops at the AOA Madrin Studio. This committee includes Peggy Anderson, Leland Edwards, Pamela Caverly Gunn -Advisor, Susan Correll-Hankinson and Larry and Janice Jones with guidance from Sue. In addition, members from the community started to volunteer their own designs for fabrication. So much momentum in just a short time. The photos say it all. Additional collaborators include Visit Elizabeth City, NC and Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce and speical THANKS to Mayor Kirk Rivers and staff for their support.

It is important to mention that the relationships developed with visiting SPLASH artists facilitated the connections that led to the development of Lights of the Albemarle Lantern Parade. Splash is an annual artist retreat https://www.artsaoa.org/splash-registration) Sept 29-Oct 3, 2026, that is hosted by AOA. This amazing event was the brainchild of Elizabeth City resident Carolyn Peel a champion for the arts in our region.

We so hope you will join us this New Year’s Eve and experience the magic. Please follow us and check in regularly for parade and workshop updates.

Big Thank You to Holly Luther for the use of her photos….and hopefully we did not forget any thank yous!

Still seats for the next lighted lantern workshop-Emy Lou www.artsaoa.org/lanternparade

08/15/2026

08/06/2026

Meet Emy Lou Emu-lighted puppet lantern. She is GORGEOUS!!! This is the next Lantern Parade workshop hosted by Arts of the Albemarle She is joy and mischief!
Saturday, September 12, 2026 10 am - 1 pm
AOA’s Madrin Studio - 115 N. Poindexter St.
$40 for AOA Members, $50 for Non-Members
https://artsaoa.org/soa-adult-classes to register and more info.
Please bring scissors and a hot glue gun with clear glue sticks if you have them. If not, they will be provided. No other supplies needed.
Please join Janice Jones- Emy Lou’s creator- as she guides you through the building process. Half the seats are spoken for, so you might want to register ASAP. Hope to see you there.
Sharing appreciated!

07/28/2026

This past weekend guest Lantern Makers Sylvia and Matt lead another successful workshop. The heavenly elegant Moon and Stars will certainly light up the night.

Please check here frequently for updates on the parade as well as other lantern making opportunities beginning in September. Thanks everyone for your support and the shares.

07/23/2026

Still a few seats left for this "Heavenly" Lantern. This is the last workshop of the summer, and it will be wonderful. Join Matt and Sylvia as they guide you through the fabrication. Registration info on the first pic. Hope to see you there. Thanks everyone who has been sharing our posts.

07/21/2026

This past Saturday the Lantern Factory- at Arts of the Albemarle Madrin Studio- was transformed into Jellyfish BLING and filled to capacity! These Lantern makers- lead by Susan Correll-Hankinson and assisted by the Lantern Making Team-Larry and Janice Jones; Peggy Anderson; Pamela Caverly Gunn and Sue Zeipen Seidel– were hard at work and it sure paid off….The Jellyfish are gorgeous and will light up the night at the Lights of the Albemarle Lantern Parade on New Year’s Eve.
There is still time to register for Moon and Stars- the last workshop of the summer. Sharing appreciated.

07/19/2026

LAST LANTERN WORKSHOP OF THE SUMMER.
You do not want to miss this so please register soon there are a few seats left. The Lights of the Albemarle Lantern Parade Team will be shifting gears to work on logistics for the parade and there will be only a few opportunities for workshops in the fall. Come join guest lantern makers Sylvia and Matt, Elizabeth City residents, who designed and fabricated this amazing lantern. Look how beautiful it was in last year's parade.
This is an adults only-please workshop. Hope to see you there and as always sharing is appreciated. Hosted by Arts of the Albemarle in collaboration with Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc and Visit Elizabeth City, NC Big Thanks Holly Luther for the photos