SPARKS — Hundreds gathered at the Sparks Marina Saturday night to celebrate the Water Lantern Festival. Attendees adorned the lanterns with personal messages, drawings and sentiments. Illustrations ranged from animated cartoon characters to people and pets. Many were decorated with personal notes and manifestations.
The event’s check-in manager, Gracie Fielding, said many people write about lost loved ones and of things they want to “let go.” The event celebrates the unity of friends, family and community members.
Fielding said the event was, in a way, “mental-health oriented.”
Some people wrote things they desired to happen on their lanterns, while others wrote about things they wanted to move past—a final goodbye or remembering past events.
Attendee Kai Larson said their writings were a mixture of quotes and Chinese characters for luck. He also adorned the lantern with drawings meant to represent the manifestation of love, health and protection.
The eco-friendly lanterns were constructed from rice paper and wood, and all LED candles were recycled and collected at the end of the event. Lanterns and any visible trash on the shoreline were also gathered from the marina.
