Council Bluffs Water Lantern Festival brings meaning and local support
The festival draws crowds in multiple cities in all 50 states — even internationally.
The festival draws crowds in multiple cities in all 50 states — even internationally.
The festival draws crowds in multiple cities in all 50 states — even internationally.
The Water Lantern Festival visits dozens of sites across the country every year — they made their first trip to Council Bluffs on Saturday at Big Lake Park.
And the group says it plans on coming back.
Out of the hundreds of lanterns sent off into the water, some carried heavier meanings while others were simple odes to family.
"It's our middle grandson Connor's birthday today, so I think we're going to do a lantern for Connor," Lincoln resident Peter Hopwood said.
The water lantern festival made Council Bluffs one of its many homes this year.
"When we find a new area like the Omaha and Council Bluffs area, we'll make sure we come back to the area," festival coordinator Dylan Gallup said.
The festival draws crowds in multiple cities in all 50 states — even internationally.
"Our events are all about supporting communities, so we come into a new area and we love the food trucks from that area and vendors from that area and we love to support those local businesses," Gallup said.
This support is something even those from out of town can appreciate.
"It's very important, it's good to keep those dollars local. We're from Lincoln, but Omaha is pretty local and it's good to keep those funds here," Hopwood said.
And Council Bluffs residents feel the same.
"It's pretty cool that they would do something like this and put it together, it's nice," Council Bluffs resident Alex Cisneros said.
Those attending the festival got a chance to decorate their own lantern and send them into the water alongside everyone else's.
"It's a special feeling. It's different than other events because it's so focused on where people are at in their life, they're people who are mourning loved ones or people who are setting new goals for themselves," Gallup said.
The event coordinators say they're looking to move to a bigger park in 2023.