The inaugural Midtown Lantern Parade is set for Aug. 3 starting at 8:30 p.m. Organized by Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, the theme for this festival of lights will be a “Parliament of Owls”
Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons are widely recognized for starting the Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade back in 2010. What began with a couple hundred spectators and participants has since ballooned to more than 70,000 people.
“Creative play in public spaces has a lasting positive impact on how we feel about our shared space and who we share it with,” Rytter said. “It is a reminder that we have the collective agency to regularly create wondrous experiences for ourselves and our community.”
The parade and the route acknowledge Midtown Atlanta’s identity as the “Heart of the Arts,” the gathering spot for the arts community. Thanks to Cousins Properties, Rytter was awarded work space in the Promenade building for two years as a way to give back to the Atlanta arts community. The parade route will start at Rytter’s art studio on 15th Street, wind through the Woodruff Arts Center piazza, then head down to Colony Square and back.
“Having a studio has been a game-changer for me,” said Rytter. “I will always have an affinity for Midtown. When you support artists in your neighborhood, you get art in your neighborhood.”
Want to carry a lantern in the parade but can’t draw an owl? Rytter will be hosting lantern-making workshops each week in her studio. You can see the schedule of workshops at this link. If you want make your own owl mask, use the templates found here.
