(Minghui.org) The city of St. Paul, Minnesota’s annual Dragon Festival was held at Lake Phalen on July 8 and 9. The local Falun Gong group was invited to participate in the festival for the 11^th year in a row.

The Dragon Festival is a celebration of Asian culture. Many organizations participated, with a wide variety of artistic performances, regional food specialties, and a traditional dragon boat competition.

Passers-by learn more about Falun Gong.

Many people stopped to take a look at the Falun Gong booth. Some learned the exercises on the spot. Several learned about the many benefits of the practice, and young children learned to fold paper lotus flowers.

In addition to introducing the practice, practitioners also raised awareness about the persecution and China’s state-sanctioned organ harvesting atrocities. People expressed their shock and signed a petition demanding a quick end to organ harvesting.

A Falun Gong practitioner raises awareness and collects signature against organ harvesting atrocities in China.

Three visitors from mainland China chatted with practitioners for a long time. They renounced their memberships in the Party and its affiliated organizations. One man said his classmate practices Falun Gong. He knew that Falun Gong was good and took the opportunity to renounce his membership in the Communist Youth League and the Young Pioneers. He left his contact information and hopes to participate in future Falun Gong activities.