Those at the Lotus Festival can view flowers like the one above. [Source: pixibay.com]The 37th annual Lotus Festival celebrated Bangladesh and its culture from July 15 through 16. Co-hosted by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and the Los Angeles Lotus Festival, the festival takes place every summer at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles. Famous for the celebration of the blooming of the lotus flowers around the lake as well as well as its focus on Asian culture and achievement, the festival attracts everyone from photographers to those interested in learning more about a different culture.
The free event featured numerous vendors, ranging from food to crafts, as well as various forms of entertainment. Workshops, the famous dragon boat ceremony, and even a Japanese tea ceremony were held during this event. Children were entertained as well, due to various family friendly activities that took place, such as rock climbing walls and bounce houses. The entertainment provided certainly showed the emphasis on Asian culture, such as Bangladeshi music performances, Kung Fu demonstrations, and a performance by the Jung Im Lee Korean Dance Academy.
The Lotus Festival is held at Echo Park, where the lake is filled with lotuses that bloom every summer. [Source: wikimedia.org]“While I have not attended previous Lotus Festivals, it was great to see Asian culture being celebrated,” Yumi Park, a rising junior at Ambassador School of Global Leadership, stated. “You don’t typically see Asian culture in the spotlight, and it was great to learn about a variety of different countries, from their food to cultural behaviors.”
The Lotus Festival certainly caters to numerous interests, whether it is photography or finding new food to enjoy. While this year’s festival already passed, those who have an interest in Asian culture can certainly look forward to the upcoming year’s Lotus Festival. Those interested in finding out more about the Lotus Festival can visit the festival’s website, www.laparks.org/lotusfestival, or call (213)-485-5027.
Celestine is a freshman at New Covenant Academy. She thoroughly enjoys photography and fashion. She hopes to spread word about important events through JSR.
