By Julia Train
Hundreds of warm lights floated on Lake Lenape East last weekend when the Water Lantern Festival returned to Atlantic County for the second time.
The festival travels all over the country encouraging the community to connect with each other, heal and spread love. It also brings awareness to the water.
One World Lantern Festival LLC, the company that puts on the festival, is a supporter of Water.org—a global nonprofit that helps people in need get access to safe water and sanitation.
Between 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., around 900 people from all over Atlantic County gathered in the park and picked their spots to sit and enjoy the festival.
Before the launch at sunset, festival goers could grab food from the food trucks, purchase trinkets from vendors and decorate their lanterns.
“A lot of people use [the festival] to celebrate people they’ve lost or life itself, and some people use it as a fun date night or a fun time with their friends,” said Shaylee Quick, the social media specialist for the festival. “It can be whatever you choose.”
While awaiting sunset, guests were invited up on stage to share their “lantern stories,” i.e., who or what they were honoring.
Rachel and Jakki Annunziata from Galloway were there to remember those who passed by overdose because the day prior–August 31– was International Overdose Awareness Day.
The two also mentioned people they lost by overdose and that Rachel was celebrating over six years clean.
Cheryl Farley, from Mays Landing, attended to honor her parents, older brother and grandparents who have all passed.
“My mom loved Karate Kid [Part] II. When Mr. Miyagi’s father died and they had the lantern launch, my mom always wanted that when she passed away,” said Farley. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t legal [in 2009] so we couldn’t do it. So I’m here tonight to do it for her. I hope she’s watching down from heaven.”
Eight other attendees went onto the stage and shared their stories for their lanterns such as celebrating beating cancer or life after a crazy year, suicide and anxiety awareness, celebrating love on a date night and wishing for peace for Ukraine.
When the sun began to set around 7:30 p.m., everyone crowded onto the beach to launch their lanterns.
As they floated along, some in groups and some alone, attendees were mesmerized by their paths.
Cynthia Cialini came with her son and husband. She said her goal was to show her son, who’s autistic, the importance of independence because his parents won’t always be around.
She used the lights in the water as a metaphor for her son, to explain the concept. Some lanterns grouped up, while others floated separately and later caught up with others.
“Everyone has their own path and just because you have a different path, it doesn’t mean you won’t find your way” Cialini said to her son as they gazed at the lights.
After an hour of floating, the festival was finished and the clean up began.
Julia is a student at Rider University, majoring in multiplatform journalism with a minor in social media strategies. At school, she writes and copy edits for The Rider News and is the News Director for the radio station, producing news updates. She’ll be graduating in the spring. Connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
