The Wellington City Council was visited during their regularly-scheduled meeting on Wednesday by Blayr Bennett, who serves as the National American Miss Jr. Teen for Utah.
Bennett visited the council to request the approval of a Light the Night water lantern festival. This festival, Bennett explained, would be a fundraiser to assist in raising money for the upcoming nationals competition. She hoped to host the event in Wellington as her family is from the area.
The Knight-Ideal Fishing Pond would be a great place for the setup, she explained, stating that they would have water lanterns for individuals to purchase. Social distancing guidelines would be followed, complete with masks and sanitizing stations.
Bennett said she wished for the community to enjoy the pleasant atmosphere at the pond. In thinking of a fundraiser, the water lantern festival was one of her favorite ideas as the community has gone through so much this year.
Bennett expressed her desire to bring the community together in a safe way. The “fire” within the lanterns would be lights to turn on and off in order to not create an unnecessary hazard. She assured the council that cleanup would be handled.
She also stated that there would be food vendors, music, photo ops and more. Bennett informed the council that the event would require pre-registration and limited numbers to maintain social distancing.
Wellington City Police Chief Rory Bradley said that as long as she is working with the local health department, he does not see an issue. He then motioned to allow the event to take place, which was seconded by councilwoman Bethany Perea.
The Light the Night water lantern festival will be at the Knight-Ideal Pond on the evening of Aug. 29.
