Mountain Sage Community School Hosts Annual Lantern Walk Festival November 7
Mountain Sage Community School will hold its annual Lantern Walk Festival on November 7, featuring evening processions for kindergarten through third grade students and their families, followed by a community walk open to the public at 7 p.m.
The event takes place at the school's campus at 2310 East Prospect Road, Suite A, in Fort Collins. Families should plan to park on the north side of the Old Country Rose (OCR) parking lot by 7 p.m. and walk to the school for the community gathering, which will include a story, singing, and a lantern-lit walk.
Students in kindergarten through third grade will participate in earlier grade-specific walks with their classmates and families, carrying lanterns they crafted in class. The community walk follows at 7 p.m. and welcomes anyone interested in participating. Attendees should bring their own lanterns and lighters.
Waldorf-Inspired Tradition
The Lantern Walk Festival is rooted in Central European and Waldorf educational traditions, particularly inspired by St. Martin's Day observances in Germany and Austria. According to the school, the event provides families "a time of reverence and reflection as the darkening days of winter envelop our world."
Mountain Sage is a tuition-free public charter school operating under Poudre School District that opened in 2013. The school follows a curriculum inspired by Waldorf education, which emphasizes a holistic approach integrating academic, artistic, and practical skills.
The festival allows participants to walk a luminaria-lit path while singing together. School officials describe the celebration as an opportunity to "feel the strength and brilliance of our own light in the closeness of nature's winter departure."
Several other Waldorf-inspired schools across Colorado, including Shining Mountain Waldorf School in Boulder and Mountain Phoenix Community School in Wheat Ridge, host similar lantern walk festivals during autumn as seasonal transition celebrations.
Mountain Sage serves approximately 285 students in grades K-8 with a student-teacher ratio of 14:1, according to school data. The school's educational approach incorporates activities such as gardening, nature walks, and artistic projects as integral components of learning.
Families planning to attend should prepare for an outdoor evening event and dress accordingly for November weather conditions.