Illinois Buddhists Celebrate Visakha Puja

May 25, 2003

Source: The Northwest Herald

http://www.nwherald.com/spider/NWH/news/282691894766842.shtml

On May 25, 2003 The Northwest Herald reported that "more than 80 people from [IL] area Buddhist groups on Saturday evening introduced Woodstock to Visakha Puja... Holding colored flags, shaking tambourines and beating drums, the procession walked to the Square to observe the holiday honoring Buddha's birth and enlightenment. The celebration - the first of its type in Woodstock as far as any worshipers could remember - started at the Congregational Unitarian Church... The holiday traditionally is celebrated during the full moon in May, but the full moon this month was May 16. Peradeniye and others feared that interested people could not make it on a Friday."