United Kingdom: Cherry Hinton Festival in Cambridge, England

It was a beautiful summer’s day in Cambridge for the Cherry Hinton Festival. This festival is an annual celebration for families in the local community with a history that harkens back to the days of celebrating a successful harvest.

There was a wealth of activities including a parade, competitions for the largest pumpkin and best Victoria Sponge Cake, rides, crafts workshops, face-painting, juggling lessons, music, morris dancing and story-telling, as well as practitioners' stall with calligraphy and demonstrations of the Falun Gong exercises. There were also dozens of stalls with fresh-baked treats, home-made blankets, locally grown produce and flowers, books, crafts, learning about recycling and the environment. Many of the local city councillors, along with the Cambridge MP David Howarth, also attended the festival.

Thousands of people packed the large festival grounds and also enjoyed the Falun Gong exercise demonstrations. One gentleman said, “It’s absolutely beautiful, calm and serene. It’s a pleasure to watch people practice such things.”

Another person said, “I love it. It’s calm and that’s what I like.”

A local resident with her son said, “I think it’s really good. It’s excellent, and interesting.”

Hand-made paper lotus flowers, fleaflets, newspapers and bookmarks were gladly received by everyone who came by the Falun Gong booth and there was much interest in the local exercise classes.