The 2023 Newburyport Lantern Festival, will be held on Monday, July 3rd at the Bartlet Mall, Frog Pond in support of GNOCA, Greater Newburyport Ovarian Cancer Awareness. This special event starts at 6:30 pm with lantern decorating, the ceremony begins at 8:15 pm and lanterns float at 8:30 pm, just prior to dusk. Lantern Festival is traditionally held Labor Day weekend as September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The event was moved to July this year due to Bartlet Mall construction planned for fall 2023.
Lantern Festival is open to everyone who would like to experience this peaceful tradition. This well-attended ceremony is in the Asian tradition of remembering family and friends and making wishes for the future. Come decorate, light, and float lanterns on Frog Pond. Decorating materials and calligraphers will be available. Lanterns can be purchased at the event for a suggested donation of $10 and there are lots of markers and stencils available to help decorate. Lanterns can also be purchased in advance at Greetings by Design.
Over the years, Newburyport Lantern Festival participation has grown significantly from approximately 100 participants the first year to more than 2,000 participants in subsequent years. All are welcome to attend this special ceremony and encouraged to bring: blankets, chairs and picnics to experience this collective, reflection as lit lanterns freely float along the water in the twilight.
GNOCA, a volunteer organization, was founded in 2011. Its mission is to honor and improve women’s lives by promoting earlier detection, enhanced recovery and greater survival rates for ovarian cancer. GNOCA (www.ocawareness.org) seeks to increase awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, to provide support services for women and families affected by ovarian cancer within the Greater Newburyport area, and to help fund ovarian cancer research.
Aside from direct assistance to local patients and their families, proceeds from GNOCA events go to Ovations for the Cure (ovationsforthecure.org), a nonprofit organization, in their promotion of knowledge of the disease, concrete hope and support for those already diagnosed, and significant scientific advancements leading to the cure. Each year, over 19,500 women in America are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, but with a keener awareness of the subtle, earliest symptoms of this insidious disease, a 93 percent five-year survival rate can be achieved. If you would like to help support GNOCA, donations are greatly appreciated.
Another important GNOCA 2023 event is the September 24th run/walk in honor of Jackie Poor and Paula Holm. Register now or sponsor a runner/walker. For questions about events, or to learn more about GNOCA, please call Deb Green, at Greetings by Design, 978-225-6700, or email info@ocawareness.org.
Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
- Bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
- Urinary urgency or frequency
- Gastrointestinal discomfort
- Fatigue and/or fever
- Unexplained weight gain or loss
- Unexplained changes in bowel habits
UAV Look Drone Video of the 2015 Newburyport Lantern Festival
