On January 26, the Templeton family of schools along with the Hastings North Community Partner Group (HNCPG) kicked off their winter lantern festival. The festival celebrated the dark and wet of Vancouver winters and the joy of Hastings Park's restored natural beauty.

The festival was premised on the theme of light using fire, lanterns, candles and installations in the park that glow with light in the dark. The festival's water element was epitomized by the rain, pools, ponds and the underground stream running through the park. Throughout the festival, drums reverberated in the park.

"We were so pleased to be a part of this event by hosting umbrella decorating, lantern making and circus arts workshops within our group of schools," says Pamela Buck, the Community Special Event Coordinator for the Hastings North Community Partners Group.

According to Buck, over 400 people from our community came out to the  free festival.