Detroit lantern fest
September 22, 2016
A string of lights dissolve into the air. Later, a few more. Soon enough the entire sky was charmed with yellow beams of light, a wall of luminescence crowding the meekly remaining sky.
The Detroit Lantern fest was held on Saturday, Sept. 17th. The crowd looked well over 300 people, from young kids with face paint to adults with coolers. Each person received a lantern and the opportunity to contribute theirs to the sky.
With hundreds of lanterns released, I couldn’t help but wonder where all the lanterns went. Fortunately, according to the The Lantern Fest website, 100 percent of the lanterns are biodegradable, and that the staff collects 90% of the released. Hence, the event was an incredible sight while still being safe for the Earth’s wellbeing.
The lanterns were distributed along with a s’mores pack, a lighter and a crayon. The event hosted over 15 large bonfires to use for marshmallow roasting and gave an overall aesthetically pleasing setting. The crayons were used to write messages on the lantern. Some participants composed wishes for the future while others wrote past struggles to be metaphorically released into the sky. I wrote Harambe on mine.
Spectators arrived with cameras from iPhones to professional Nikons. It was a crowd of many with different ages, races, backgrounds and personal struggles, yet each lantern looked perfectly identical side by side as they evaporated into the black.
The hundreds of lanterns appeared as one large curtain as it draped over the sky. Some rose to the sky while others drifted past lowly, each lantern floating higher and releasing a personal burden or a wish at it’s own pace. It was an enchanting site and a beautiful metaphor I recommend for all, whether it may be for dispelling pasts or hopeful fates.
Loading ...
