“People everywhere are looking for moving, spiritual experiences, but often they don’t know where to find them,” Andrew says. “Our goal is to create a strong atmosphere of beauty and depth of sanctity beyond what people experience on a day-to-day basis. We just hope to spread some light in people’s lives.”
The 1000 Lights Water Lantern Festival has food, vendors, and live music, usually performed by local artists; they also have high stakes bingo with prizes like TVs and tablets. But the main part of the event is the lantern launch.
When people arrive, they receive a lantern packet. 1000 Lights is conscious of the environment and creates their lanterns from sustainable and reusable materials. The base is made from bamboo, and the top is made from rice paper; they are completely biodegradable.
Instead of candles, they are lit with LED lights which they reuse from one festival to the next. They create a buoy line for the lanterns to collect them all at the end, with the intention of leaving the area better than when they found it.
“We give people markers and stencils to decorate their lanterns,” Andrew says. “Some people write goals that they have for the year. Some write tributes to family or friends who have passed on. Others write their hopes and dreams on them. People decorate them throughout the night, and once the sun has gone down, we all gather at the edge of the water— reflecting. It’s a powerful moment and special time that we create with people.”
“I think we have a beautiful world with amazing people in it,” he continues. “But often life is hard for people. Our goal with this festival is to create a meaningful event where people have a really great experience of whatever type they choose.
“People attend for a variety of reasons— whether it’s family coming together to remember a loved one who has passed; or those who are alone and want to feel a sense of community around sharing their personal dreams; or those who just want to come out on a weekend to get away from the typical rhythm of their day to enjoy a night out with great ambiance and great vibes— and we welcome them all.”
