OUTSIDE THE CITY

After temporarily suspending programming for strategic planning, the Forest Hills Educational Trust is pleased to announce that the 13th annual Lantern Festival will be held on Thursday, July 14th (raindate: July 21). A much-loved community event for Jamaica Plain, as well as Greater Boston, the Lantern Festival draws its inspiration from the Japanese Bon Festival -- a celebration each year when a door opens to the world of their ancestors allowing loved ones to send messages to the other side. It is a time when neighbors come together to share stories, celebrate, and honor the memories of loved ones. Although the Lantern Festival is inspired by Japanese Buddhist tradition, it incorporates the diversity of the community that provides its setting and includes many multi-cultural events throughout the day.