Illuminares 2005
This was my first and probably last Illuminares festival, and I'm really glad I made an effort to attend. Even when I used to live off Commercial Drive, I always thought 'next time'...
I told a friend that living in one place for long (in my case, more than a few years) makes me complacent, and in terms of annual events this holds quite true. Despite the fact I was a full-time working student for a few of those years, when I cast my mind back to the years when I was working and living downtown, I didn't take in as much as I should've. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have one last summer in Vancouver to visit as many festivals and activities and sites of local colour as I can cram into these days. (No thanks to USCIS, but many thanks to David!)
As festivals go, Illuminares is a standout, I have to say. If you've never been to a lantern festival, get yourself to one, because it's a hotbed of creativity and community spirit. It's also beautiful and magical and you'll have pleasant dreams afterwards.
ADDITION: Thursday, July 28
For the inside scoop on how some of those funky lanterns came to be, check out Rainbowk's LJ post on the crafting of the lantern hats.
