The Rakhine community of Utica held a traditional Water Festival called Thingyan at Hanna Park. Many came out to enjoy the singing, dancing, food, and of course, the water.

Traditionally, Thingyan, the New Year Water Festival celebrated by Buddhists, takes place in April in Burma. The Rakhine community of Utica celebrated the Water Festival Saturday, July 12. Rakhine is a state in Burma.

The event began at 11 a.m. and lasted well into the afternoon. The stage at Hanna Park was alive with dancing and singing all day. The highlight of the Water Festival was obviously the water. Kids and adults filled buckets and bowls with water and threw the water at each other. Water was everywhere.

To read more about Thingyan, click here. To read more about Rakhine culture, click here.

Here are a few photos from the event. For those interested, I took these pictures with an Olympus OM-D E-M5.

Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
Jumpin' Zach Flash, 96.1 WODZ
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