Dragon Festival to be a fun time

HOT SPRINGS - This weekend, the Town of Hot Springs will come alive with fire for the annual Dragon Festival, formerly known as the Chinese New Year Festival.

The event, which will close down Main Street and occupy the Towanda Gardens area, is for celebrating the Chinese New Year, and to bring culture to the town in a fun way. The Symes Hotel is heading up operations, and plan to have a bonfire, parade, fire show, and fireworks.

“I’m absolutely excited about this year’s festival,” Symes owner Lesley Smith said. “I think it’s a really fun festival for a small western town. Everyone should come out and have fun.”

According to Smith, they plan to parade and have two dragons in tow. One is the large dragon, and it made by community members; the other is a smaller dragon, made by Hot Springs School students. Between the parade and the fire show, a bonfire is planned. A hired group from Idaho, Bioluminese Fire Dancers, will perform for Dragon Festival attendees, and will bring with them a fire-breathing dragon. Following the show, a firework display will occur.

Also in for the weekend will be yearly visitors, Bandido Nation, a motorcycle club that chooses to come to Hot Springs on an annual basis. This year, their meeting falls on the Dragon Festival weekend. Mayor Randy Woods stated the town is always happy to host them.

“We’re always happy to host them, and we’ve never had any problems,” Mayor Woods said. “In past years, over 100 of them have come to our town, and it’s great. It’s a boost to our economy, they always have fun, and hopefully the weather will be nice enough for them to haul their bikes with them and bring them out for the crowds.”

Mayor Woods also commented on the excitement surrounding the Dragon Festival.

“I’m looking forward to all the festival events,” he said. “I think it’s great that Hot Springs has such diversity in our celebrations and that’s why coming to Hot Springs is such an experience. Nobody else does what we do.”