The annual Lanterns at Wildwood Festival last week was not only a return to normalcy during this ongoing pandemic but a smashing success, said Wildwood’s Executive Director Dr. Bevan Keating.

The three-day festival had a total of nearly 9,000 attendees and raised more than $100,000 to support the center’s scholarships and arts education programs.

“We are incredibly grateful to the business community and guests who participated in this year’s Lanterns Festival,” Keating said. “Not only did our community turn out to support the park in record numbers as guests and volunteers, we broke a fundraising record for Lanterns - a whole year of educational programming and scholarships. We cannot wait to put this generosity to good use as we grow into west Little Rock’s cultural center, providing access to nature and the arts for Arkansans of all ages.”

Keating noted that Holly Judd served as the festival’s chair as well as the hundreds of volunteers and sponsors who made this year’s event a success.

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