A lantern parade and community party for everyone, with everyone!
Friday 11 December 2026 • Meet from 5.30 pm • Parade at 6 pm
Start: Kiezbüro, Sonnenstraße 35
Finish: Stadtwirtschaft, Jakobstraße 46
We are celebrating the end of the year together, with lanterns, music, soup and dancing. Our giant owl, the moon and the stars lead the way through Sonnenberg, and a warm party waits at the end. Everyone is welcome. It is free, and you do not need to register. It goes ahead whatever the weather, so dress warmly. For the latest information, follow us on Instagram: @paperlanterneu.
How the evening goes
5.30 pm, arrive. We meet at the Kiezbüro. Warm up with a cup of tea and some music.
6 pm, parade. We set off with our lanterns, with the Streetband Sonnenberg.
About 6.30 pm, arrive at Stadtwirtschaft. Free soup and children's punch. Leave your lantern in the lantern corner. Take your time to settle in: get food, find a seat, meet people.
Then, music. The Community Ensemble Chemnitz plays, and there are plenty of songs to join in with.
Then, dancing for everyone. Simple group dances that anyone can join. No experience needed.
To finish. A few songs together. We finish around 9.30 pm.
Your lantern
Please bring your own lantern. Here is how to get one:
Pick up a kit. The kits are free, and we have 300. Collect one at any of our workshops, or drop us a message at info@paperlantern.eu to arrange collecting one from our office, Müllerstraße 15.
Make lanterns together. Saturday 5 December, 11.30 am–2 pm at Stadtwirtschaft, for all ages. Before that, 10.30–11.15 am, Spielwiese:Musik for families with children up to 5.
Lantern making around Chemnitz. We also visit groups and meeting places, and your group can book a lantern-making workshop too. Write to info@paperlantern.eu
Join in
Community Ensemble. Sing and play at the Fest. Rehearsals on Monday 30 November and 7 December, 7.15–8.30 pm at Stadtwirtschaft. Voice or instrument, no experience needed.
Streetband Sonnenberg. Tuesdays, 7–8.30 pm at Lokomov, Augustusburger Straße 102. Drums and wind instruments, ages 14 and up.
Volunteers wanted. Would you like to help along the parade? We would love to have you. Write to info@paperlantern.eu.
Access
The parade route is step-free. Stadtwirtschaft is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible toilet.
The Lantern Fest is part of Community Music Chemnitz, funded by Beisheim Stiftung and Deutsche Bank Stiftung. Additional funds by the Local Action Plan of the City of Chemnitz, and by the Mikroprojekte (Team Generation) of Kulturhauptstadt Europas Chemnitz 2025 gGmbH. The Community Ensemble Chemnitz is funded by the Amateurmusikfonds, BMCO and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. In cooperation with inpeos e.V.
