Imagine going to a lantern festival — only to be told you couldn’t have the lantern you paid for.

That is the reality for several Perth residents who attended a water lantern festival shared by a local council on social media.

The two-day event saw 5000 descend on Jackadder Lake in Woodlands, ready to enjoy food trucks and scavenger hunts before decorating and releasing lanterns across the water.

The lanterns are made from wood or rice paper, with participants encouraged to decorate their lanterns with “messages of empowerment, remembrance, and connection” before setting them afloat.

“Water Lantern Festival is an incredible experience where thousands of family, friends, and strangers celebrate life together and join in one emotional and memorable night,” the organiser’s website says of

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