
Planning Your Visit to Lanterns
Here's the info you need to have a great Lanterns experience!
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Getting around the park grounds
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Lanterns 2026 Hours
Thursday, April 16:
6 - 10 pm (gates open at 5:30)
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Friday, April 17:
6 - 10 pm (gates open at 5:30)
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Saturday, April 18:
4 - 10 pm
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Sunday, April 19:
4 - 9 pm
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If you buy tickets for one date and then realize you need to change, email finance@wildwoodpark.org.
Parking at Lanterns 2026
Wildwood Park for the Arts is located at 20919 Denny Rd. in Little Rock, AR.
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Some limited parking is available across from the park's front gates on Denny Road. However, this space fills up fast! Parking across the street from the park costs $10 per car.
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We strongly recommend that you park for free in the The Promenade at Chenal's back parking lot behind the courtyard. From there, take our free parking shuttles to Wildwood's front gate, just 5 minutes away. See parking map below.
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The main entrance for the Promenade at Chenal is located at 17711 Chenal Parkway, and the back lot is accessible from both Rahling Rd. and St. Vincent Way on either side of the shopping center.
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Shuttle service starts at 5:30 pm on Thursday and Friday and 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Parking shuttles arrive every 15 minutes, and they will also pick you up from the front gates and take you back to your car when you are ready to depart.

Getting Around the Park at Lanterns 2026
Lanterns features six decorated areas of the park called "vistas" spread out across the park grounds. Each vista celebrates a specific culture, whether real or imaginary. Japan, China, and Honolulu will be closest to you as you enter the front gates.
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Experiencing Lanterns often requires significant amounts of walking. Please wear comfortable shoes, and feel free to bring along strollers or wagons for children if needed. Be aware that some terrain in the park is rocky and uneven, and there are some hills.
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If you have mobility issues that require a wheelchair, some parts of Lanterns (but not all) are accessible to you. We recommend that you plan to park across the street from the park, and you may pull up to the front gate long enough to unload passengers and wheelchairs or scooters before parking the car.
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You can use asphalt or concrete pathways to reach China and Honolulu, so you will have full access to both of those vistas and our nightly stage show.
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The Land of Oz can be reached on paved pathways, but you must cross the grassy area by the lake to get to the paths, and there are bumpy spots on the paths due to tree roots. Italy is the furthest away, a 10-15 minute walk from the front gate.
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Can I bring my pets to Lanterns?
We do not encourage you to bring your pets to Lanterns. The festival is often crowded, which makes the environment less enjoyable and predictable for animals. Also, it's difficult to clean up after them in the dark.
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However, we love to see pets on leashes in the park during regular park hours!
Lanterns 2026 Activities
There are so many things to do and see at Lanterns! Some are included in the price of your admission ticket, and others require you to purchase and spend WildBucks, the festival currency.
Included with admission price:
1. Access to all trails, decorated vistas, and light displays
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2. Multicultural stage show performances at the following times:​
Thursday and Friday: 7:30 and 8:30 pm
Saturday: 6:30, 7:30, and 8:30
Sunday: 6:30 and 7:30
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3. Fireworks show on Thursday and Sunday night visible from the shores around Swan Lake
Requires additional purchase (WildBucks):
1. Launch a lighted lantern onto Swan Lake in Neverland ($5 WildBucks)
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2. Sample food and beverages at the vistas (prices vary)
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3. Buy craft souvenirs in China or light-up souvenirs elsewhere in the park
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What Are WildBucks?
You need WildBucks (the festival currency) to purchase food, drinks, lanterns to launch on the lake, and souvenirs.
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​You can purchase WildBucks at any of the WildBucks stations located around the park. We accept both cash and credit cards at WildBucks stations.
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Every WildBuck you spend at Lanterns helps to preserve Wildwood Park for the Arts for the community to enjoy today and into the future. You're also supporting nature and arts education in central Arkansas and enabling us to bring you more concerts, stage performances and festival. You make it possible for us to keep the park open to the public free of charge 7 days per week. For more details, see our About Lanterns page.
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Because Lanterns is a fundraising event, WildBucks are not refundable.
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WildBucks station locations:
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On the path between the front gate and the theater
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On the asphalt path near the north shore of Swan Lake
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At the Butler Gazebo