The City of Grand Junction will host the 5th annual Water Lights at Night on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Butterfly Pond at Las Colonias Park. Admission is free.
Water Lights at Night brings the community together for an evening of food, music, lantern decorating, and glowing messages cast onto the water. The evening will conclude with a special Colorado 150 – America 250 drone show presented by Brightflight Drone Shows.
Attendees can purchase lantern kits in advance for $8 each or a pack of six for $42. Each kit includes a lantern, LED tea light, and two markers for decorating. Attendees are encouraged to bring additional markers, stickers, or other materials to personalize their lanterns. Pre-purchased lantern kits will be available for pickup beginning at 5 p.m. the evening of the event. Lantern kits purchased on the day of the event will cost $10.
Lanterns will be launched onto the Butterfly Pond around sunset at approximately 6:45 p.m. Only lanterns purchased through Grand Junction Parks and Recreation are permitted to be launched. At the end of the event, City staff will retrieve the lanterns to ensure no materials are left in the pond. Attendees are welcome to take their lantern and light home if they can locate them following the launch.
Food will be available for purchase from different food trucks onsite. Attendees are also welcome to pack a picnic and are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, and activities to enjoy before the lantern launch.
This year's event will also feature an electronic recycling giveaway. Attendees can stop by the check-in table to guess the number of button batteries in a jar. Select participants with the closest guesses will each receive 40 pounds of free electronic recycling at the Mesa County Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. The giveaway is supported by Mesa County and Southwest Arbor Fest sponsors SavATree, Waste Management, and Atlasta Solar Center.
Proceeds from Water Lights at Night will support Parks and Recreation events offered throughout the year, with a portion benefiting the GJ Plays Foundation.
Additional information and lantern purchases are available at www.gjcity.org/waterlights.