VIDEO: Lights fill the Grand Rapids sky | News

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Friday night the skies over Grand Rapids were full of the hopes, dreams and wishes of thousands of people.

It was part of an ArtPrize piece called "Lights In The Night : Where Hope Takes Flight ."

Grand Rapids artist Mark Carpenter passed out 2,500 Chinese lanterns and, on his signal, invited people to light them, make a wish and send them up into the twilight sky.

"It was really a magical night," Carpenter says. "To see all those lanterns in the sky at once, all those thousands. That's exactly what we hoped for, what we had in mind."

"I'm so glad I was here," said Mindy Tiede, who launched a lantern with her children. "It was beautiful."

Mark Carpenter says he doesn't have traditional artist skills like a painter or a sculptor.  He says his gifts are organization, ideas and big thinking. With those talents he is able to participate in ArtPrize.

"Lights In The Night: Where Hope Takes Flight" is ArtPrize entry #53910.

If you were there and have pictures, send them to pix@wzzm13.com.