Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Hope takes flight. Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand

As twilight descends today, Chiang Mai, Thailand's second-largest city, will come alive with thousands of glowing lanterns for Yi Peng. Held on the full moon of the second month of the Lanna lunar calendar, this celebration is about letting go of negativity and embracing new beginnings. The highlight of the festival is the release of 'khom loi' or 'khom loy'—floating paper lanterns—into the night sky, which becomes a sea of warm, golden lights. People often write their hopes and dreams on the lanterns. They gather around temples and palaces to send their wishes skyward, hoping for good fortune in the year to come.

In addition to the lantern release, the city hosts vibrant parades, traditional dance performances, and stunning decorations. Yi Peng coincides with Loy Krathong, another festival where small, intricately crafted baskets, decorated with banana leaves, incense, and candles, are floated down rivers. Together, these festivals create a spectacle that draws visitors from across the world to witness the illumination of Chiang Mai.