Related cultural and creative products are displayed for sale at eight designated locations during the Festival 5. Related cultural and creative products are displayed for sale at eight designated locations during the Festival
“Macao Light Festival 2017 – AMOR MACAU” was splendidly unveiled at the Ruins of St. Paul’s tonight (3rd December) as an event organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and co-organized by Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, Cultural Affairs Bureau and Sports Bureau, as well as shaped by the collective artistry of over a hundred local transmedia creators. Under the theme “Wish-Making under the Stars”, the opening ceremony features dance performance choreographed and performed by a local dance troupe. The opening kicked off an array of projection mapping shows, light installations and interactive games at eight local attractions, taking visitors and residents onto a dazzling journey in search of love and dreams.
The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Alexis Tam, the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Ip Peng Kin, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, and President of Sports Bureau, Pun Weng Kun, Vice President of Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ieong Chi Kin, member of the Administration Committee of Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, Ma Kam Keong, and President of Administrative Committee of Cultural Industries Fund, Leong Heng Teng, officiated the kick-off ceremony for the third edition of the Macao Light Festival. With music composed by local talent, the local dance troupe named Stella & Artists presented a romantic opening dance which rendered a beautiful love story and the fantasy of “Wish-Making under the Stars”, taking spectators onto a glamorous journey of love.
In her speech, Director Senna Fernandes remarked that the Macao Light Festival was unveiled on the same day as the Macao International Marathon. A string of other spectacular events and festivities will follow and enliven the city this month including the 2nd International Film Festival & Awards • Macao, the Macau Shopping Festival and the Macao International Parade, as well as celebrations for the 18th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the Christmas holidays and the New Year’s Eve. The above are presented to give a diversity of innovative experiences and fill the entire December with various tourism, cultural, sports and other mega events for a burst of synergistic effect. MGTO aspires to forge the Macao Light Festival into one of Macao’s annual signature events and continues to combine elements of gastronomy, culture and creativity to enrich local mega events and bring forth new elements of tourism and leisure, in line with the goal to build the city into a world centre of tourism and leisure.
Extensive routes of light and artistry of over a hundred local creators
“Macao Light Festival 2017 – AMOR MACAU” is staged from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. from 3rd to 31st December (the last projection mapping show starts at 9:50 p.m. daily). Through fascinating light artistry, the event portrays the harmony in cultural diversity and touching historical stories of the city while passing on the spirit of love. This edition of the Festival was meticulously forged by MGTO and over a hundred local transmedia creators, marking its debut as an exclusively local creation. The program presents projection mapping shows, light installations, interactive games and a series of new activities such as Light Art Exhibition, Outdoor Local Concert, Outdoor Movie and Light Dinner. Moreover, related cultural and creative products are launched in tandem with the Festival. The event promises fantastic experiences not to miss for art lovers and spectators who enjoy sharing great moments with their friends by taking selfies or checking in on social media.
The routes of this Macao Light Festival cover more extensive areas compared to those of the past two editions, encompassing eight designated locations in total. Radiating from “Boundless Love” at the Ruins of St. Paul’s as the heart of the event, a total of three routes extend towards seven other locations including “Love Stems from the Heart” at Senado Square, “Playground of Lights” at Anim’Arte Nam Van until “The Maze of Flowers” at Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre; “The Lighthouse of Life” at St. Anthony’s Church and “Embrace Integration” at Camões Garden; “Mercy and Love for All” at St. Lazarus Church and Calçada da Igreja de S. Lázaro, as well as “Happy Homestead” at the Taipa Houses.
Dazzling extravaganza brings spectators together for a quest of love and dreams
The event features three projection mapping shows themed as follows – Bringing together the loving essence of different cultures, religions and ethnic groups, “Boundless Love” at the Ruins of St. Paul’s depicts the glamour of Macao as a major hub on the Maritime Silk Road with background music composed by local talent, while letting spectators enjoy their own creative experience of projection mapping in an interactive game. “The Lighthouse of Life” at St. Anthony’s Church weaves the church history into fascinating stories of romance, love and humankind. Synchronized with local music, “Mercy and Love for All” at St. Lazarus’ Church guides spectators through a journey across history to experience the Parish’s loving kindness for humanity.
The event also brings forth an array of interactive light installations and interactive games designed to enchant the audience and enhance their level of participation. For instance, Anim’Arte Nam Van has been transformed into the “Playground of Lights” set to awaken vibrant and youthful friendships among participants through an amalgam of music, dances, games and so forth. On the other hand, “The Maze of Flowers” at Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre immerses participants into a mysterious sea of roses and lets them project blessing lanterns beneath the canopy next to the maze.
For the Macao Light Festival, the Office launched a new mobile application named “Macao Light Festival 2017”, which presents related information, a game to collect the puzzles of love and the interactive game at the Ruins of St. Paul’s. Souvenirs are ready for game players who successfully collect sufficient pieces of the puzzles of love. The public can download the mobile app on App Store or Google Play for free.
Please visit MGTO’s website: www.macaotourism.gov.mo for more information about the projection mapping shows, light installations and interactive games of the Macao Light Festival.
Diversity of culture, creativity and gastronomy for greater effect
To boost its effect, the Macao Light Festival will roll out a new series of innovative and diverse activities at different locations and periods to enhance the level of experience and participation among visitors and residents. In parallel with the event, related cultural and creative products by local talent are launched for sale at information centers set up at the eight designated locations during the Festival, to showcase the all-round creativity of the local cultural and creative industry.
The Light in the Soul - Light Art Exhibition will be held at the exhibition gallery on the ground floor of Oriental Foundation, showcasing artworks imbued with elements of light created by local artists José Drummond, João Ó and James Chu for visitors to enjoy light art even at daytime. Outdoor Local Concerts by local musicians and an outdoor screening of the local movie “Love in the City” will be staged in town on schedule for free admission, enabling the audiences to enjoy romantic local productions in the beautiful glow of illuminations. Moreover, the Festival joins hands with two local catering establishments, namely Café Bonbon and JaK’s Kitchen, to present Light Dinner – an array of feasts that blend light projections and culinary delights into unprecedented dining experiences, to enliven the Festival with the creative dynamic coming from the designation of Macao as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Please visit MGTO’s website www.macaotourism.gov.mo for more information about the time and location of the aforementioned activities.
MGTO launched the first edition of the Macao Light Festival in 2015, with the hope to draw visitors to different districts of the city for an appreciation of the beauty of Macao and a deeper understanding of its local culture and history from innovative angles shaped by light artistry. The event also aims to extend the length of visitors’ stay in Macao and boost the economic benefit brought to local businesses while cultivating the local cultural and creative industry, in turn tapping into the potentials of cultural tourism.
