Held During July-August Months

Lanterns of Hope is a cultural family program which, probably more than any other event
in Forsyth County, brings together all segments of our increasingly diverse community in
a spirit of mutual friendship and understanding. Based on the Japanese tradition of
lighting and floating lanterns to honor the spirits of ancestors it was used after the
bombing of Hiroshima to remember those who died in that terrible tragedy. In recent
years over 500 hundred cities worldwide have adopted the ceremony as a symbolic
gesture to promote worldwide peace. In Jon Sundell began presenting the program in
Forsyth County. It was held at Tanglewood Park for several years, then moved to
several locations to find a home more central and inviting to all segments of our
population. For the last three years it has been held at Salem Lake Park, which seems
to be working very well.

While the principal coordinator of the local Lanterns of Hope has always been Forsyth
County Public Library, in the last few years a number of other community organizations
have come on board, most notably the Hispanic League, which joined the team in 1998.
ABCD (the Association for the Benefit of Child Development), Crossing 52 Initiative,
Forsyth County 4H program, the Ministers Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity,
Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission, and Winston-Salem Urban league have
also assisted for several years. Arigato Japanese Steak and Seafood House and Sara
Lee Corporation have been major founders along with the Hispanic League. The
Recreation and Parks Department joined the organizing team in 2001, allowing much
greater control of the lantern floating itself. Large scale volunteer assistance from Camp
Leo and the Junior League in that year will also make the event run smoothly.

Lanterns of Hope is held each year in late July or early August. It begins with light
refreshments, followed by the lantern making. Using materials provided by the
committee, children decorate a lantern shade with pictures and phrases illustrating their
hopes for a community and world of multicultural friendship, peace, and understanding;
they mount the shades on a lantern base and place a votive candle inside. The lanterns
are then lined up along the lake and attached to one another. Next several performing
groups entertain and inspire the audience with music, dance, puppetry, activities from a
variety of cultural traditions. Over the years, there have been a native American play, a
Mexican puppetry show, dance from Indian, Cambodian, Greek, Mexican, and other
Latin traditions, African songs and stories, bluegrass and mariachi music, to name just a
few! The 2001 program includes a performance by the Glory Phi Steppers of Greater
Cleveland Avenue and the String Fever Bluegrass Band plus a lesson in salsa and
merengue dancing from Angel Rodriguez. As night begins to fall, participants line up
beside the strings of lanterns and in a slow, coordinated effort feed them gently into the
water, where they are taken out in short loop by one or two canoes. Those who stay till
the end can then recover their lantern and take it home for a souvenir till next year.
Admission is free. Participants are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket. Call
748-3088 or 945-3786 for more information.748-3088 or 945-3786 for more
information.Mexican puppetry show, dance from Indian, Cambodian, Greek, Mexican,
and other Latin traditions, African songs and stories, bluegrass and mariachi music, to
name just a few! The 2001 program includes a performance by the Glory Phi Steppers
of Greater Cleveland Avenue and the String Fever Bluegrass Band plus a lesson in
salsa and merengue dancing from Angel Rodriguez. As night begins to fall, participants
line up beside the strings of lanterns and in a slow, coordinated effort feed them gently
into the water, where they are taken out in short loop by one or two canoes. Those who
stay till the end can then recover their lantern and take it home for a souvenir till next
year. Admission is free. Participants are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket.
Call 748-3088 or 945-3786 for more information.