Saturday Part 2

 

Later that evening, the Lantern Festival was happening just down the street from my house.  Pure magic!  As with the Powwow earlier in the day, this event did not happen last year because of the pandemic.  The last time these two events took place was 2 years ago before I arrived in Cedar City.  It was nice to experience something new! 

The Lantern Festival took place at a small man made lake next to the Cedar City Aquatic Center.  This lake has a nice sandy beach on one end, and is used by the residents for swimming, fishing, paddle boarding and kayaking.  In the winter, it is a great place for duck watching.  Last night, on offer was a Disney movie on a big outdoor screen in the parking lot, and lots of snacks for sale.  In addition, everyone received a lantern upon entering at the gate.  One could do one or the other, or both.  Needless to say, the place was packed full of families with their children.

I chose to do only the lantern activity.  The weather was perfect, and the lantern launching was magical.  As I stood on the beach watching the multitudes of lanterns float away, I felt that I was a part of each participating person’s “light”!  We were all facing the setting sun, which made it even more special. 

By the time the lanterns were finished, the movie was still going on.  I walked home in the dark, which was magical in itself!  Here are some photos.