Lanterns with finished messages and designs were lined up on the Arcata Plaza on Saturday morning.

Golih Vang, of Arcata, reflects on her lantern artwork on Saturday morning at the Arcata Plaza.

The lantern-making workshop on Saturday morning attracted many new-to-the-area HSU students, including Connor McNeil (left), Breea Diamond and Alex Wender.

Mary McComber, of Arcata, got some design help from her daughter Samara while preparing her lantern on the Arcata Plaza on Saturday.

Lantern-workshop volunteer Dory Hernandez, of Arcata, received a finished lantern with a current-events message.

Lanterns with finished messages and designs were lined up on the Arcata Plaza on Saturday morning.

Prior to the evening program, lanterns were unloaded on the bank of Klopp Lake at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.

Rick Kruse, of Arcata, began the evening program with a traditional shakuhachi flute performance.

The Raging Grannies provided the first musical set, followed by more songs, poetry and advocacy presentations in the evening program.

During one sing-along performance, a volunteer held a sign that provided the words to the chorus.

After the evening program, volunteers Shiho Brannick, of Eureka, and Tony Wallin, of Arcata, began moving the lighted lanterns into Klopp Lake.

Volunteer Tony Wallin, of Arcata, helped move the lighted lanterns away from the shore into the gentle breeze blowing across Klopp Lake.

Andy Sehic, of Arcata, launched her lighted lantern with a message, "Wishing all the people of the world to work on peace ...," on one side and a call for "Justice for Josiah" on another.

After the evening program, attendees gathered to watch the launch of the lighted lanterns on to Klopp Lake.

"We are stardust ...," read this lantern's message.

It was a night of messages of rememberance for Hiroshima and Nagasaki victims and more recent victims of violence, including this lantern's "Justice for Josiah" message.