Inland Northwest Falun Dafa

Practitioners from Across Washington and Idaho Participate in Spokane’s Annual Valleyfest Celebration

This year (2004) is the fourth year that Falun Dafa practitioners have participated in the annual Valleyfest celebration in Spokane Washington. The event started with a parade through the Spokane valley, and continued with a festival at a large local park. Many vendor and non-profit booths were represented, including Falun Dafa.

Two entertainment stages were set up in the park, and one hosted several hours of ethnic dance. A Falun Dafa practitioner performed the traditional Chinese “Flower Fairies” dance for spectators, and was greeted with warm applause. After the dance, ten practitioners performed a demonstration of the Falun Dafa exercises. The meaning of the various exercises and background on the Falun Dafa practice was narrated during the exercise demonstration.

At the Falun Dafa booth practitioners taught children and adults to fold paper lotus flowers, and distributed truth-clarifying materials to passersby. Visitors showed a genuine interest in the practice, and concern about the persecution. One visitor asked how to discuss the persecution issue with her friend from China. Many materials and books were distributed to interested visitors.

This was a significant year for Valleyfest, as it was the first Valleyfest celebration since Spokane Valley became an independent city, and the first year that the Valleyfest parade was held on a new route, and the festival held in a new location, Mirabeau Park.

Practitioners from Seattle and Pullman Washington, and Moscow Idaho traveled to Spokane to assist local practitioners with the event, and were busy the entire day distributing materials and talking with people about the truth of Falun Dafa. At closing time, the booth was still busy and crowded with people, even while other booths’ tables were being packed up!