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1,000 lights in Newport’s Back Bay celebrated community

by in News

Whether it was to celebrate a special event, a personal achievement or remember a loved one, thousands of people were expected at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort to enjoy an evening of unity.

  • A woman places her lantern in to the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • One of the hundreds of decorated lanterns at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  • A boy wades out into the water as he pushes lanterns away from the shore after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Hundreds of people sit on the beach, picnic with friends and family and decorate their lanterns as they attend the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People stand on the beach as hundreds of lanterns float in the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Noel Jimenez of Huntington Beach places her lantern in to the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Jill and Steve Foster of Westminster hold their decorated lanterns just after sunset as hundreds of people attend the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Hundreds of lanterns float in the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A woman takes a photo of the LOVE letters placed on the beach just after sunset at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A couple of the hundreds of decorated lanterns at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A couple takes a selfie on the beach as hundreds of lanterns float in the bay behind them after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People walk by the LOVE letters placed on the beach at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A woman takes a photo of the LOVE letters placed on the beach just after sunset at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Hundreds of people attend the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Oliver Villa, left, of Buena Park takes a photo of his daughter Alexia Villa, 7, center, and his wife, Monica Villa, right, as they hold their decorated lanterns at sunset as they and hundreds of others attend the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People hold their lanterns at the edge of the bay as they wait for darkness to set in during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People decorated their lanterns and held picnics on the beach as they attend the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A few of the hundreds of decorated lanterns at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A boy wades out into the water as he pushes lanterns away from the shore after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Hundreds of people sit on the beach, picnic with friends and family and decorate their lanterns as they attend the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A couple of the hundreds of decorated lanterns at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People stand in line to take photos at the LOVE letters placed on the beach just after sunset at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People float their lanterns in to the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Hundreds of lanterns float in the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Hundreds of people attend the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People stand on the beach as hundreds of lanterns float in the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A few of the hundreds of lanterns floating in the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A woman takes a photo of the LOVE letters placed on the beach just after sunset at the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Women take photos of their lanterns before floating them in to the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A few of the hundreds of lanterns floating in the bay after sunset during the 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival held at the Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday evening, March 30, 2019. Participants decorated their rice paper and bamboo lanterns and floated them into the bay after dark. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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The Water Lantern Festival held at on Saturday, March 30, was meant to unite the community in the awe and wonder of light. The event, held by the Utah-based 1,000 Lights Festival, included live music, food trucks and local vendors.

The highlight came just after sunset when the sky darkened.

That’s when people were invited to place their lit lanterns into Newport’s Back Bay. The lanterns, attached to bamboo bases, floated out over the water.

Lantern festivals are held along the West Coast in places such as San Diego and Phoenix. This was the first time the event was held in Newport Beach. Organizers said all the lanterns would be collected after the event.