Lighting up the Scioto River at the Water Lantern Festival
A big perk of going to Ohio State is its location – for those of you that don’t know OSU is located in the heart of Columbus. With that being said, there is always an event in the area, whether it is some sort of cultural or food festival or a concert. This past weekend I attended the water lantern festival with several of my friends from the Fisher MAcc and MHRM programs.
The water lantern festival is a unique cultural event. It brings people together with friends and family to celebrate life together as you watch the lanterns you all created drift off in the night. This festival focuses on experiencing happiness, discovering love, bringing healing to your soul, enjoying peace and unity, increasing hope and faith, and connecting with one another.
The festival took place in downtown along the Scioto Mile. When we arrived, there were food trucks, a live singer and a very calming and relaxing atmosphere. After getting some food from the food trucks, we found a patch of grass among the river and began to decorate our lanterns. We each reflected upon our hopes and dreams and what we were thankful for and decorated our lanterns accordingly. It was a great time to step back from the hustle and bustle of campus life and reflect. After we finished decorating our lanterns, we relaxed and listened to calming music. When it finally got dark, we all went down to the river to release our lanterns. It was a beautiful sight to see, as hundreds of lanterns filled with hopes and dreams drifted through the night. I had an amazing and refreshing time taking advantage at one of the festivals Columbus had to offer.