Before the Chinese Lantern and Folk Festival began, I heard a variety of opinions about who

was paying for the festival and whether Fountain Hills’ taxpayers were footing the bill.

During a meeting for volunteers at the Community Center, I asked Mayor Kavanagh to write a statement about how the festival was being financed and she kindly agreed.

She wrote: “It is the town policy that if an event is run by a non-profit and the Community

Services Department determines that it is an event that will benefit the town, then there is no charge for the use of the park. This is strictly an in-kind donation. The non-profit group organizing the Lantern Festival is UCOrganization.

“They hired Pro Em, a company used by the Chamber of

Commerce for the art fairs, for the fencing, lighting, stage, etc. They also hired Knoodle for their marketing.”

I personally loved the Chinese Lantern and Folk Festival. I attended it on three separate occasions. In my opinion, the lanterns we had by the Fountain were magnificent works of craftsmanship, artistry and content.

I also feel we were given a first-hand opportunity to experience an authentic glimpse into Chinese culture: its history, beliefs, symbols, and art forms.

I’ve traveled in nine countries within Asia, including China, and I’ve never seen an exhibit of

lanterns that came anywhere close to the collection we had by our Fountain. I want to express

my gratitude to Mayor Kavanagh and all the hard-working people who made this festival possible.