Another year, another Morningside Lights festival!

“This year’s theme is ‘A Common Thread’, an exploration of the visual patterns and motifs that surround us in textiles, domestic adornments, architecture, and engineered spaces. A winding red line will form a visual line that links each design throughout the final procession, a common thread that connects the human fabric across our rich and varied differences.” – Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles

Another year, another Morningside Lights festival! This past Saturday, residents and students alike gathered in Morningside Park to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this beloved tradition, a welcome excuse to merge the two communities. It was my first experience with the event I’d only ever seen on the pages of Columbia’s website, and I didn’t quite know what to expect.

Joining the procession with the drums thundering along to the steps of the participants, I took a moment to admire the lanterns. I particularly enjoyed the theme this year, and found that the red thread that flowed nicely from lantern to lantern struck an impressive image against the dark sky, surrounded by the colored patterns and textiles that were quilted together. 

As I walked, I couldn’t help but notice the sheer variety of marchers: a father hand-in-hand with his son, a pair of lovely old grandparents enjoying their walk, a group of bright-eyed first-years experiencing their first light show, and three little girls waving their handmade lanterns about. It’s a precious scene, their homemade hot-balloon lanterns glowing bright and proud, with small stuffed animals perched in their baskets. 

Nearing Columbia’s gates, I couldn’t help but notice many of the parents, children, and elderly peel away from the march, presumably to head home. And as the gates started to open, I was  once again reminded of the ongoing conflict between our two communities over the closed campus. To me, it almost felt like a small act of protest, of defiance, a reminder that the invitation only went so far. Watching the crowd thin right at that threshold sent a bigger message than any protest ever could. And when the procession finally marched through the gates, against the backdrop of Butler Library, I couldn’t help but notice the absence of those little hot-air balloons and their riders.

Images via Author