THOUSANDS ATTENDED TWO FESTIVALS OVER THE WEEKEND IN WATSONVILLE. ONE WAS THE SAINT PATRICK’S INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, AN ANNUAL TRADITION THAT BEGAN 22-YEARS AGO. THE FESTIVAL RAISES MONEY FOR THE UP-KEEP OF THE CHURCH, WHICH WAS BUILT 110-YEARS AGO. THE OTHER WAS THE OBON FESTIVAL, AN EVENT WHICH HONORS THE SPIRITS OF THE DEAD THROUGH A CELEBRATION OF DANCE. ORGANIZERS OF THE SUMMERTIME EVENT SAY IT’S AN IMPORTANT OBSERVANCE OF THEIR BUDDHIST HERITAGE AND A TIME TO HONOR THEIR PASSED LOVED ONES.
