Photo Gallery: Lantern festival debuts at Newport Dunes

The coast of the beach starts to fill in with floating lanterns at the first ever 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday, March 30, 2019. More than 1,000 people released a floating lantern, created from a kit that people decorated in any way they wished.   (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

Within minutes of the first lanterns set afloat, hundreds more were set released at the first ever 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday, March 30, 2019. More than 1,000 people released a floating lantern, created from a kit that people decorated in any way they wished.   (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

A glowing sky with scattered floating lanterns at the first ever 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday, March 30, 2019. More than 1,000 people released a floating lantern, created from a kit that people decorated in any way they wished.   (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

Packages with the parts to assemble a floating torch are given to attendees at the first ever 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday, March 30, 2019. More than 1,000 people released a floating lantern, created from a kit that people decorated in any way they wished.   (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

Jayson Rohletter of Los Angeles and Caitlyn Tucker of Northridge release their floating lanterns at the 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach.

Carol McGuffin of Palm Springs holds her lantern adorned with personal messages at the first 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday.

Collin Rose and Kamran Sohreb, both 14, of Newport Coast assemble and decorate their floating lanterns at the first 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday.

Courtney Preis of San Diego performs at the 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday.

Guests at the first 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival wait to release their floating lanterns Saturday at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach.

Some floating lanterns got a slightly early release into the bay Saturday night at the 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach.

The bay begins to fill with hundreds of floating lanterns Saturday night at the first 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach.

Hundreds of floating lanterns scatter on the bay at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday night during the first 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival.

The beach is filled with people waiting for the sun to go down so they can release their floating lanterns at the first 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday. More than 1,000 people released a floating lantern created from a kit.

Leon Giep of Westminster assembles his floating lantern while his son Bentley, 9 months, sits on the table at the 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach.

Alex Alaleajanri of Santa Ana and Gabe Robbins of Anaheim shoot a selfie with the sunset and a “Love” sign as the backdrop at the first 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday.

With the sun setting behind them, Diana Le and her daughter Emery Lawrence, 9, of Fountain Valley have their photo taken in front of a “Love” sign at the first 1,000 Lights Water Lantern Festival at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach on Saturday.