The Lantern Festival is a ceremony of remembrance based on the traditional Japanese Bon Festival, a time when, as the Forest Hills website says, "a door opens to the world of the ancestors, allowing us to send messages to the other side." During the Lantern Festival visitors picnic and enjoy multicultural music and dance. Then they decorate lanterns with personal messages to those who have died, and at sunset each lantern is set afloat with a candle inside. The lanterns are meant to symbolize the soul's journey after life. The sight of the lanterns flickering and floating together on the water is both beautiful and extremely moving.
The Forest Hills Lantern Festival is free, with a requested donation per lantern.
Forest Hills Cemetery is located at 95 Forest Hills Avenue in Jamaica Plain. See photos of Forest Hills Cemetery.
2008 Forest Hills Lantern Festival
The 10th Annual Lantern Festival takes place Thursday, July 17 from 6 pm to 9 pm. In the event of rain the festival will be moved to Thursday, July 24.
Performers at this year's event will include gospel singer Ron Murphy, Master Tsuji's Samurai Taiko Drummers, and students from Showa Institute and Chu Ling Dance Academy.
Lantern Festival admission is free, with a $10 requested donation per lantern. There is a $10 parking fee, so you may prefer to take the T (Forest Hills Station, Orange Line). See website for directions.
A special Lantern Festival Reception will be held Thursday, July 17 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. You can enjoy wine and refreshments and have a calligrapher inscribe your lantern. The reception is $45 per person, advanced tickets required. Call (617) 524-3354 or email tickets@foresthillstrust.org.
For more information visit foresthillstrust.org.