By Janelle Saffin MP, State Member for Lismore

I WAS thrilled to be part of the opening of the 31^st Lismore Lantern Parade’s Fiery Finale at Oakes Oval last month.

From the stage I looked out and made the comment that this appeared to be the biggest crowd I had seen at this iconic Northern Rivers event.

Such is the local and regional drawing power of this enduring celebration of community spirit each Winter Solstice.

I congratulate my friend Jyllie Jackson OAM, her hard-working committee, and team of volunteers and lantern carriers, on staging another great spectacle.

Warming to the Finale’s theme of ‘the Return of the Sun’, Jyllie said: “Let tonight be a reminder, no matter how big the shadows, how heavy the rain, the sun always rises. So do we.”

The theme is a nod to the Chinese Year of the Snake, which represents transformation, but it can mean many things.

It has spiritual significance in many cultures, symbolising hope, renewal and the triumph of light over darkness, as Jyllie alluded to.

Here in the Northern Rivers region, where we have experienced natural disasters like the floods of 2017 and 2022 and the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20, the natural phenomena of the sunrise can also make us feel optimistic for better days in future.

In keeping with tradition, Jyllie Jackson’s secret 2025 message was revealed in flames, “Time For Kindness’. A short fireworks display followed.

It had been a number of years since Oakes Oval was used as the venue for the Fiery Finale, but the grandstands and grassed area were full, making it another huge success.

I thank Jyllie for founding and nurturing the Lismore Lantern Parade, a nationally and internationally recognised, award-winning festival celebrating the Winter Solstice.

I also acknowledge that in attendance at the parade was a delegation from our sister city, Yamatotakada. The sister city agreement was struck with Lismore City Council in 1963.

In a world often wracked by division and conflict, we need more lantern parades to spread harmony and peace.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ballina News Daily has invited regular monthly contributions from local elected representatives. We thank Janelle Saffin for being the first.