I woke up late today, slowly pulled myself out of bed, sat around sleepily for several hours before finally deciding to shower and begin my day. No more than one-hundred yards from my front door, the Lotus Festival was alive with music and throngs of people chatting noisily, eating, and enjoying a perfect day in Echo Park. I spent a little over two hours taking photographs and recording the sounds of the festival.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the event, this year is the 35th anniversary of its inception, and it is always held in July–when the flower blooms–and in Echo Park, which was selected for both its central location of local Asian and Pacific Islander communities and because the park features the largest lotus bed in America. Since 1991, it is estimated that the attendance each year reaches over 150,000 people each day. The area near the lotus bed is dedicated to teaching about the history of Pacific Rim nations and their relationship with the flower, and the rows of booths dedicated to selling traditional items from those cultures form a ring around the central pavilion, where various groups perform native rituals, dances and songs that can be heard throughout the park.
The second time I was ever in LA was in 2005, and I remember driving from where I was staying in West Hollywood to Echo Park. I spent a long time walking around the perimeter of the lake, and photographing the lotus bed. Back then, I wrote:
“My day began early with a drive out to Echo Park. I wanted to see the lotus growing in the lake. I sat for an hour watching ducks (2), the water, and passersby. With water spouting forth like a geyser juxtaposed to an overcast skyline, I drifted in an out of a trance. There was an intriguing beautiful / ugly paradigm hard at work in Echo Park.“
At the time, I wouldn’t have thought I’d be living here, and enjoying the park and neighborhood as much as I do. If you’re going to be in the area tonight or tomorrow to soak in the flavor, c’mon over! It’s nice and hot! No air conditioning here!
