Macao Switches on Spectacular Light Festival

The iconic A-Ma Temple will be shrouded in a purple haze while centrally located Senado Square will brighten up under “The Canopy of Starry Night” for what promises to be dazzling Macao Light Festival 2015.

Themed a “Journey of Lights”, the colourful festival - from December 6 to 31 – is to boast a host of fascinating locations for the spectacular night show, including some of the former Portuguese enclave's lovingly maintained UNESCO World Heritage listed sites.

The famous landmark of the Ruins of St Paul's will come in for special 3D mapping treatment along with St Dominic's church and the Holy House of Mercy.

Presented by the Macau Government Tourist Office, the festival will focus on three program highlights – 3D mapping, light installation and interactive games.

Its launch on the evening of Sunday, December 6, will closely follow the annual Macao International Marathon and the spectacular “Parade through Macao, Latin City” held earlier in the day.

Revolving around the theme “butterfly fairy and little elves”, the Macao Light Festival 2015 - Journey of Lights is to focus on 11 famous attractions each day from 7pm to 10pm.

Enchanting 3D Mapping

There will be four shows of different themes projected on the facades of four acclaimed historic monuments. The video images look at the bygone stories of these architectural delights as well as the east-meets-west features of Macao.

The 10-minute 3D mapping shows - namely “St. Dominic‧Angelic Melody” and “The Wonderland of Illumination” - will unfold at St. Dominic's Church and the Ruins of St. Paul's respectively. In addition, five-minute shows - “A Tour of Exotic Macao” and “The Purple Haze of A-Ma Temple” will brighten up the Holy House of Mercy and A-Ma Temple in the scheduled evenings. All shows will repeat at 30-minute intervals.

Romantic Light Installation

Exquisitely themed illuminations will be displayed at nine attractions to add a festive ambience, including “The Canopy of Starry Night” at Senado Square, “The Corridor of Magical Light” at the Holy House of Mercy, and “The Clothes Drying Lane” at Lou Kau Mansion, along Travessa da Sé.

Among the themed lightings will be “The Fountain of Bliss” will take place at Cathedral Square, “Butterflies in the Starlight” at St. Augustine's Square, “The Rainbow Stairs” at St. Lawrence's Church, “Elves in Wonderland” at Lilau Square, and “The Dress of the Butterfly Fairy” at Moorish Barracks.

Fun Interactive Games

The festival will present five interactive games for visitors' fun experience, including “Cycle Racing” and “Taming Rudolph the Reindeer” alternately held at the Holy House of Mercy.

The Cycle Racing, designed to combine bicycle generators and 3D projection mapping techniques, will go on from December 6-20 and December 26-31. On the other hand, in the activity “Taming Rudolph the Reindeer” on December 21-25 will allow participants to search for Santa's Reindeer through a touch-screen device on the spot. “Starry Blessings” at A-Ma Temple promises “an untraditional blessing experience”.

Details: Macau Government Tourist Office, www.macautourism.gov.mo