LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The city of Los Angeles Thursday invited Angelenos to come and celebrate the 42nd Lotus Festival this weekend, which will honor and showcase the people and culture of Indonesia.
The festival will run July 15 -16 from noon to 8 p.m. at Echo Park. This annual event began in 1972, becoming one of the city's largest festivals to promote awareness and understanding of the contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander people to the city of LA.
"We're so excited to welcome over 100,000 visitors to the iconic Echo Park Lake this year as the lotus flower reach full bloom to celebrate the rich culture of Indonesia for the 42nd Annual Lotus Festival," Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez, who represents the 13th Council District, which includes Echo Park, said in a statement.
Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, who chairs the council's Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee, added "we look forward to gathering with the community and visitors" for the event.
The festival coincides with the traditional blooming of the lotus flower which symbolizes "rebirth," according to a statement from the Department of Recreation and Parks, co-organizer of the event alongside Los Angeles Lotus Festival.
An assortment of activities will be available for visitors to enjoy, including dragon boat races, Asian food and drinks, a variety of vendors and a children's area.
Visitors can also participate in the department's augmented reality game "Agents of Discovery," a free mobile game where people of all ages complete missions by learning about the natural, cultural and historic resources at parks.
In addition, the Lotus Festival will include a "Lights of Dreams Lantern" event, an adaptation of Indonesia's Buddhist festival where rice paper lanterns are released onto a body of water.
According to the event description of the lantern event, "in Asian cultures, illuminated paper lanterns symbolize our hope for a brighter future, appreciation for our loved ones and memories of those who passed away."
While admission to the Lotus Festival is free, tickets for the lantern event costs $20 to $30, which can be purchased at https://bit.ly/3rtD96x.
"The Department of Recreation and Parks is proud and excited to celebrate the Asian and Pacific Islander culture with a spotlight on Indonesia this year," Jimmy Kim, general manager of the department, said in a statement.
Limited shuttle services and sign language interpreters will be available. Echo Park is located along Glendale Boulevard, south of Sunset Boulevard.