Date Night - Lantern Festival

We went on a double date with Joel and Syna Harris to the Lantern Festival. This was the first time there has been something like this in Utah and we are so glad that we had the opportunity to go.  The first date was sold out fairly quickly so the organizers added a second date which also sold out.  There were probably a lot of people that wanted to go that couldn't.  We had purchased our tickets early when it was at the lowest price. If this event happens again, we definitely buying our tickets right away.    

When you get there, they give you a lantern and a small kit.  The kit has a marker, a lighter, and stuff to make Smores.  We all wrote something on our lanterns.  Joel and Syna both wrote a wish.  They were actually really similar so we hope that it happens for them because they both really want it. Som dedicated his to Papa Soumphonephakdy and wrote him a sweet note.  Sothea also dedicated to people that she has lost.  

We sat fairly close to the stage so that we could see the demonstration.  Even though, we saw it, we still struggled to get ours lit and up.  First of all, the dinky little lighters in the kit don't work very well.  A number of people had got there's up and going before we even got a little fire under ours. We were struggling so hard that we put a hole in one of them.  Somehow it worked and it lifted away with the others.  People around us were using the tiki torches to light theirs.  After our first two, we used the tiki torches to light the other two.  It helped tremendously!  Next time, we are bringing those BBQ/Utility lighters.

It was a beautiful and magical sight to see.  Not just the lanterns in the air but all the people gathered together with their wishes, hopes, dreams, and prayers.  This is something we definitely want to do again.