Join Zero Waste Yukon & Raven ReCentre on December 21st for a Solstice Lantern Parade!
This parade will showcase lanterns made from repurposed materials in the Solstice Lantern Workshop with Nicole Bauberger.
We will meet at the Yukon Canoe and Kayak club sea-can (5 Selkirk St) at 6:30pm and parade from there on the Millennium Trail to the KDCC to end the night with a fire in the KDCC firepit and warm drinks. The event ends at 8:30pm.
All are welcome regardless if you attended the Solstice Lantern Workshop! Feel free to dress up in costume, bring your own lantern, and/or bring a percussion instrument to help us keep pace!
PLEASE NOTE
1. YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN TRANSPORTATION! We will be walking along the Millennium Trail from 5 Selkirk to the KDCC Firepit. Raven will not be providing transportation for this event. All participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the start and end points of the parade.
2. YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN SAFETY! The path might be slippery, the weather might be chilly, your lantern might be fragile – you are in charge of making sure you have the right clothing, footwear, etc. Raven staff will have First Aid kits and cell phones in case of an emergency.
3. YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN LANTERN! Raven will not be providing lanterns, but you are welcome to bring your own! If your lantern uses a live flame or is made of fragile materials like glass, please be prepared to manage mishaps. Raven staff will be on hand with First Aid kits, cell phones, and minor fire suppression equipment.
4. BRING YOUR OWN MUG! Raven will serve hot drinks at the KDCC fire pit, but you must bring your own mug! As a Zero Waste organization, we will not be providing single-use cups that harm the environment.
5. BE VISIBLE! We will NOT be crossing any roads during our procession, but we encourage you to wear reflective gear if you have it. Otherwise, we welcome all participants to dress warm, dress in costume, or however is most comfortable for you!
6. RESPECT THE LAND! Our parade will take place on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dun and Ta'an Kwachan Council and will end at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Fire Pit. Raven has rented the fire pit for this event and will be serving hot drinks. However please note that this fire pit is often used for ceremonial purposes. Therefore, please be respectful of the space and the Land that we share with our First Nation Hosts. Please clean up after yourself, and please note that roasting any kind of food over the fire is not permitted, nor should any items be burned other than firewood be burned.
Why are we hosting a parade?
1. Environmentally, we are in dark times. We are in the midst of a climate crisis and our global leaders do not seem to be up to the challenge of addressing it. Winter solstice is a good time to gather with our friends and community to remember and celebrate what we are fighting for. We are bringing a little bit of light into the darkness.
2. Zero Waste and the environmental movement can seem like it’s full of don’ts. By using repurposed materials for our lanterns, we wanted to remind everyone that a zero waste, circular economy can be creative, can be beautiful, can bring us together as a community, and generate greater respect for each other and for the land we live on.