Event to include lantern and wish making, winter elixirs, caroling, and more

Ashland.news staff report

The annual “Gnomecoming Lantern Procession to Welcome Winter” will be returning to both the Ashland Plaza and Lithia Park starting at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, hosted by the White Rabbit and the Gnomecoming Planning Committee. The event will feature lantern and wish making, winter elixirs, caroling, Gnome lore led by members of the Green Theater Collaboration and Zanni Nation, and a procession to the Lithia Park Wishing Tree.

This year, the event will introduce a new experience: The Mycelium Map, which, according to White Rabbit’s news release, “is designed to serve as a communal space for quiet reflection amidst the festivities.” The event will be drawing inspiration from the Temple of Remembrance at Burning Man as well as ofrendas (or in English, offerings), a tradition often practiced during Día de los Muertos. 

The news release says that, while holidays can be a time of celebration, they are also a time of reflection. Artnow President Cynthia Salbato says, “I lost my mother this year, and soon found out how many others I know had also lost loved ones in 2025. We are creating a space that honors these special beings who shaped our lives. The Mycelium Map reminds us that connection runs deeper than what we can experience with our five senses, especially at this time of the turning of the year.”

The public is invited to participate in planning the event at Gnomecoming Planning Committee meetings. These take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays as well as 2 to 4 p.m. Saturdays at the White Rabbit.

From Dec. 20 through the evening of the 21, community members are invited to leave offerings on the Mycellium Map, light a candle for a lost loved one, and reflect.

This event is free, family-friendly, and open to all.

For more information, stop in at White Rabbit at 5 N. Main St. between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Source: White Rabbit news release. Email Ashland.news at [email protected].