S.Koreans march with lanterns to celebrate upcoming Buddha’s birthday

Thousands of monks and participants march with lanterns in Seoul during the Lotus Lantern Festival, a festival to celebrate Buddha’s birthday. The parade took place on May 16, 2026 in Seoul. Tens of thousands of participants marched carrying nearly 100,000 handmade lanterns.

 The festival celebrates the upcoming birthday of Buddha, which in South Korea falls on May 24. The festival is called Yeondeunghoe, a tradition with more than 1,200 years of history and recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.