Jazz, Food and Funk Festival secretary Danielle Williams wants 20 artists, schools or community groups to submit designs for two-metre square floating lanterns before the end of July.

Festival organisers will then provide materials such as wet-strength tissue paper and bamboo rods to complete them at three workshops during August and September.

Floating lanterns feature in many international festivals, but Ms Williams says she was inspired by an annual festival in honour of the humble eel in her Victorian home town of Lake Bolac.

“My hometown has an eel festival,” she said.

“It is a very small town with a very small festival, but one year the community built lanterns and some were floating.

“It was spectacular and had such haunting beauty that it has stuck in my mind ever since.

“We have that beautiful river sitting there, waiting for something to float on it.

“What better occasion than Granite Town to get floating lanterns happening in Moruya, combined with beautiful music and a beautiful reflective river?”

Ms Williams envisages the flotilla, lit up with battery powered fairy lights, travelling down the river on the evening of Friday, October 17.

In keeping with the festival’s jazz theme, designers are asked to be inspired, in any way they like, by the standard, Fly to the Moon.

“I am leaving it to the imagination of the artist,” Ms Williams said.

Anyone interested should quickly email her at info@granitetown.com.au with their idea.

Ms Williams said Lismore, on the NSW North Coast, featured lanterns in its annual festival, although they did not float.

“The parade attracts about 20,000 people to the area and everyone gets right behind it,” she said.

The festival will be held from October 17-19, with headline acts Katie Noonan, Emma Pask, Mama Kin and True Vibenation. 

Early-bird weekend passes are now on sale for $90.

Visit www.granitetown.com.au for more details.