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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><table class=MsoTableGrid border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:none'><tr style='height:84.55pt'><td width=76 valign=top style='width:57.3pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:84.55pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><img width=58 height=109 id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D126B2.8BCEB8F0"></span><span style='mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=299 valign=top style='width:224.55pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:84.55pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'>Mirjana Galovich</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><br>Director of Marketing and Communications <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'>T: 604-662-3207 x 204 | F: 604-682-4008<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><a href="http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>www.vancouverchinesegarden.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><a href="http://www.facebook.com/vancouverchinesegarden"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>www.facebook.com/vancouverchinesegarden</span></a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'>www.twitter.com/vangarden</span></u><u><span style='color:blue;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><o:p></o:p></span></u></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><br>578 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 5K2<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear colleagues,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hope you are doing well. Please spread the word about this fantastic, bright festival and send us the information on your events so we can reciprocate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>November 24, 2015 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>The 22nd Annual Winter Solstice Lantern Festival at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden </span></strong><strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black;font-weight:normal'>produced in partnership</span></strong><strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></strong><strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black;font-weight:normal'>with the Secret Lantern Society</span></strong><strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></strong><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>transforms the Garden into a magical place on <b>December 21<sup>st</sup>, from 6 pm – 10 pm</b> with hundreds of hand-made lanterns, live music, shadow puppets and hot aromatic tea. It’s a perfect place to bring the family and even have a date!<br></span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Tickets: <span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>$10/adult; $15/couple; $20/family (2 adults & 2 kids); $8/Garden members</span></span></span><span class=MsoHyperlink><b><span style='color:black;text-decoration:none'><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Eventbrite link: </span><a href="https://winter-solstice-2015.eventbrite.ca"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>https://winter-solstice-2015.eventbrite.ca</span></a><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='color:#0563C1'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=MsoHyperlink><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Start the Chinese winter solstice, <i>dong zhi</i>, celebration by participating in a lantern-making workshop at the Strathcona Community Centre, and join in the <b>PROCESSION</b> through the streets of Strathcona from <b>6pm - 6:20pm. </b>Then follow the drums of </span><a href="http://drumming.ca/african_crossing.html" target="_blank"><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>African Crossing</span></b></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> to a dream-like evening at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, where <span class=style1>Secret Lantern Society </span>artists have created a unique and delightful environment of beauty and warmth to celebrate the longest night of the year.</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=headerstyle1 style='margin-top:.1pt'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=headerstyle1 style='margin-top:.1pt'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Enjoy hundreds of whimsical animal lanterns throughout the Garden and immerse yourself in The Conference Of The Birds where beautiful bird lanterns have come to roost. Participate in nature-inspired shadow puppetry with the <b>Lost and Found Puppet Company</b> or add your own dash of creativity to the 6th Annual Community Lantern hosted by the <span class=style1>Community Arts Council</span> in the Garden’s China Maple Hall.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=content style='margin-top:.1pt'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=content style='margin-top:.1pt'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Create your own beautiful solstice headdress using organic materials such as leaves and dried flowers or release a lovely Lotus Lantern into the pond and let it carry your illuminated wishes into the night ($5/activity).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=content style='margin-top:.1pt'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=content style='margin-top:.1pt'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Treat yourself to hot aromatic tea and participate in a tea ceremony while listening to featured performers including the wild drums of </span><span lang=EN-US><a href="http://drumming.ca/african_crossing.html" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>African Crossing</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>, the powerful First Nations songs and drums of <b>Audrey Siegl</b> (Musqueam) and <b>Victor Thompson</b> (Haida), atmospheric jazz of the <b>Saul Berson Duo</b>, and the lively Balkan traditions of <b>Zeellia</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin-top:0cm'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin-top:0cm'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Come and join us in the Garden with your families, friends, dates or neighbours and bring light to the winter! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>BACKGROUND: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin-top:0cm'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>The annual Winter Solstice Lantern Festival was created by the Secret Lantern Society in 1993 in honour of the sun’s return. This community celebration incorporates musical and artistic traditions from numerous cultures around the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0cm'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>For the Chinese and throughout East Asia, the winter solstice celebration (the Dongzhi Festival, literally: "the extreme of Winter”), is one of the most important festivals. Traditionally, it’s a time for the family to get together and celebrate with specially prepared food, particularly the making and eating of tangyuan (</span><span lang=JA style='font-family:"MS Gothic";color:black'>湯圓</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion. The celebration marks the beginning of the return of the sun and the shifting of the energies yin to yang in the cosmological balance. Families gather to honour their ancestors and to eat warm and rich foods.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:19.2pt'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>The 22nd Annual Winter Solstice Lantern Festival is an annual one-day multi-venue festival presented by the Secret Lantern Society in partnership with the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown. To find out more about the other venues (False Creek Community Centre and Performance Works on Granville Island, and the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre in Yaletown, please visit </span><a href="http://www.secretlantern.org/"><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>www.secretlantern.org</span></a><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr style='height:84.55pt'><td width=76 valign=top style='width:57.3pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:84.55pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><img border=0 width=58 height=109 id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D126B2.25455530"></span><span style='mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=299 valign=top style='width:224.55pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;height:84.55pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'>Mirjana Galovich</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><br>Director of Marketing and Communications <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'>T: 604-662-3207 x 204 | F: 604-682-4008<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><a href="http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>www.vancouverchinesegarden.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><a href="http://www.facebook.com/vancouverchinesegarden"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>www.facebook.com/vancouverchinesegarden</span></a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><a href="http://www.twitter.com/vangarden">www.twitter.com/vangarden</a></span></u><u><span style='color:blue;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN'><o:p></o:p></span></u></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><br>578 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 5K2<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>