Lantern festivals, deeply rooted in history and celebrated worldwide, were originally used in warfare communication in ancient China. These events mark significant occasions, but they also pose fire risks and environmental concerns, which led to bans in many areas. During the recent OC Japan Fair in Costa Mesa, safety was prioritized through the use of helium balloons instead of traditional lanterns. Participants released glowing balloons filled with LED lights, symbolizing the release of emotions as they watched the lights ascend into the night sky.
"When you let go of a lantern in the air or in the water, you let go of your feelings behind it," said attendee Charles Mendoza, who drove to the event from West Covina. Anything that's been weighing your thoughts, "you just let it go."
Long before the luminescent spectacle awed viewers of Disney's 2010 film 'Tangled,' real-life lantern festivals have been taking place around the world. In China, sky lanterns were first used as a means of communication in warfare during the Eastern Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago.
Yet, as wondrously beautiful as these floating mini hot air balloon launches are, the reality is there's only a fine line - and a gust of wind - that can turn a sky lantern into a free-floating Molotov cocktail.
This is why when OC Japan Fair hosted a lantern release, organizers opted for a safer alternative: lantern-shaped helium-filled balloons tethered by string and lit by lithium battery-powered LEDs.
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