Hey, there! Log in / Register
Forest Hills Cemetery cancels this year's lantern festival
By adamg on Thu, 06/05/2014 - 10:26pm
Jamaica Plain News reports the cemetery has canceled the annual event along the shores of Lake Hibiscus.
In recent years, the cemetery has been unable to decide whether to allow non-burying events.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Somehow...
... I'm not surprised. After dumping all the people who had coordinated this annual event in 2010, it was probably just a matter of time...
Baffling
I know this has been an issue for the past few years but I have a really hard time understanding the POV of the people making this decision. Seems like the lantern festival does nothing but build community for the cemetery, which, presumably, leads to future customers.
Does anyone other than a few board members object to the event? Do people really say "I not buying a plot because of that wacky lantern thing."
Staff too
We've always loved it. Yet I know from staff members that they consider it a real pain in the rear — days of planning and set up, extra duties, and tons of cleanup.
Did this event ever make use of volunteers?
Volunteers are a good way to organize and run events just like this one.
Yes, the lantern festival used lots of volunteers
This (probably forgotten) page still calls for volunteers, for both the Lantern Festival and Day of the Dead (which last took place in 2010):
http://www.foresthillstrust.org/about_fhc/volunteer.html
To which I kind of say
Waaahhh. Suck it up. Your main "constituents" don't really give you a lot of trouble on a daily basis and a once a year event like this would seem well worth it in building a sense of connection, community and good will. It's a beautiful event and one that connects manages to celebrate the connection between the living and those who have passed on.
I get a sense that current ownership...
... no longer supports any of the outreach efforts that were undertaken during the past decade and a half. If you look at the schedule of "events" it is now empty (other than the semi-permanent (?) sculpture trail.
This is really too bad.
It's one of the most beautiful and moving ceremonies I've ever seen anywhere, and so fitting for Forest Hills.
Maybe the ceremony could be
Maybe the ceremony could be moved. How about the Fort Point Channel; it would be accessible to more people and perhaps the art association or some businesses in the area could help financially.
That would be a very different kind of event
Possibly worth doing, but It would feel entirely different in an urban setting.
Very saddened...
This was a beautiful event which brought people from all over the area together for an evening of remembrance and celebration. Talk about cutting of your nose to spite your face...
Forest Hills Lantern Festival
Such a shame. I only went to this once but it was really worth it and very well attended. I'd never seen anything like it before as I was not familiar with Buddhist rituals but it was a wonderful way to commemorate those who have passed. I hope they decide to bring it back next year.