Korea will celebrate the birthday of Buddha with an annual lantern festival this May.
Yeondeunghoe will take place in downtown Seoul and is one of the world's largest lantern festivals. The event has also been described as one of the best festivals in the world.
A highlight of the annual celebration is the Lantern Parade. Taking place at 7 p.m. on May 12, 2018, the procession begins in the Dongdaemun neighborhood and travels along Jongno Street to the Jogyesa Temple.
There are more than 100,000 lanterns visible during the parade, including floating lanterns that move through the crowd.
The Lantern Parade finishes at the Jonggak intersection at which time the post-parade closing ceremony called Hoehyang Hanmadang takes place and there is a traditional Korean circle dance or ganggangsulae.
The day after the parade another cultural event is scheduled at the Jogyesa Temple as more than 100 booths open and visitors can participate in making lotus flowers, creating traditional lanterns and ceramics as well as drawing Buddhist patterns and folk paintings. There are also meditation programs, traditional performances, and food.
The festival takes place from May 11-22, 2018. It begins with the Exhibition of the Lanterns, which starts May 11 and finishes on May 22 at the Jogyesa and Bongeunsa temples and along the Cheonggyecheon Stream.
Eoulim Madang or the Buddhist Cheer Rally takes place in Dongguk University Stadium on May 12 at 4:30 p.m. and is followed by the Lantern Parade at 7 p.m.
Traditional cultural events take place the following day on the street in front of the Jogyesa Temple and the final celebration of the festival takes place on May 13 at Insa-dong Street in front of Jogyesa Temple.
On May 22, Buddha's Birthday Dharma Ceremony and Lantern Lighting at temples across the nation bring the festival to a close.
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