Re-launch of 2012 CHCH Lantern Festival
The 2012 annual event of Christchurch New Zealand “Lantern Festival” was launched successfully on 11st February 5pm in Hagley Park. This annual celebration has been discontinued once in previous year due to the earthquake that stroke Christchurch. Currently the renovation of Victoria Park is still being carried out. Hence, Christchurch City Council and Asia NZ organization chose to launch the event in Hagley Park this year. It is hoped to sweep away the sadness in Canterbury’ heart through this delightful Lantern festival. Under the lead of Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island Venerables and Buddha Light International Association (BLIA) President See Shen lee, a Buddhism craft stall and 3 vegetarian stalls were set up to serve the public. Around 40 BLIA members and Youth Adult Division (YAD) participated in assisting this meaningful event.
The event started on 5pm and attracted quite a number of people to Hagley Park, causing great congestion which is a rare phenomenon in Christchurch. The new location of Lantern festival this year able to fill up 50-60 thousand people without problems. There were forty different stalls and one cultural performance stage on; various lanterns that attracted lot of photographers which can’t stop pressing the shutter button. A lot of spectators grabbed the chance to enjoy the cultural performances such as Lion dance and Dragon dance. The Dragon Dance outstanding performances which received the uttermost attention from the crowds.
In the food stall of FGS South Island, BLIA and YAD members are co-operated to serve the customer with various tasty food such as the popular Coriander pancake, deep fried spring rolls, deep fried tofu, laksa, fried dumpling and nyoya cakes received great respond with long queue since 5pm. Most of the foods were sold out before 10pm. The BLIA craft stall’s Chinese Buddhism crafts and souvenirs were attracted by many people, especially waving drums and small dancing lions which grab the attention of children and parents to bring them home. According to the source, the lantern festival had attracted approximately 80 thousand people appeared on the first night. It has been the most successful event after the 22nd February quake.
In this year, FGS and BLIA South Island New Zealand had introduced a lot of delicious vegetarian cuisines to the public in lantern festival, hopefully via this event more people will get the chance to know more about Fo Guang Shan, understand the benefits of vegetarian cuisines, most importantly is to lift up the spirits and confidence of Canterburian to face the future, subsequently live with a healthy and blissful life.