Welcome to our secret world!

The Secret Lantern Society celebrates art, culture, beauty, Nature and light through our annual Winter Solstice Lantern Festival, our Secret Salon Series, and various community events. We actively support our free community programs with custom lantern sales, lantern workshops, lantern and decor rentals, and rental of our fabulous Secret Headquarters in East Van.

But behind the enchantment of our abundant cultural offerings lies a secret we have thus far been reluctant to share. On the eve of our 31st annual celebration of the sun’s return, we need to reveal that Secret Lantern Society is in financial peril. Alongside so many other arts organizations, our funding has decreased by more than 30%, even as production costs, insurance, and operational expenses have increased. These are dangerous times for even the most resilient and resourceful groups, and we are worried that our artistic ambitions to create delight and wonder, and our ability to engage our community in meaningful ways, will be tragically and irreparably diminished by this financial hardship.

Today I received a beautiful handwritten card from Nancy, who has attended nearly every one of our 31 solstice years, congratulating us for creating “an immersive, and joyous experience for all participants”, and expressing her heartfelt thanks for maintaining a tradition that “makes me feel like I really do have a role in coaxing the light to come back.”

Such sentiments reinvigorate my commitment to this beautiful community and to the wonderful cultural collaborators I have had the great good fortune to work with, and I sincerely hope you will support Secret Lantern with a donation of any amount you can spare. And that you will join together with us on solstice night to dispel the darkness with music, lanterns, dancing and joy!

With deep gratitude,

Naomi

Upcoming Secret Events

Find us at Secret Headquarters

Secret Headquarters is located at 1398 E 3rd Avenue in Vancouver, BC. (look for the yellow awning)

Please note: We are often away on secret missions so please e-mail us to arrange a visit. But by all means, feel free to show up spontaneously and see what happens when you use our antique doorknocker.

Secret Headquarters is gratefully situated on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.

We honor, respect, and give thanks to our hosts.