By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, Reported by Chen Guanxin
The annual Taichung "Lishan Arts Festival" will take place from December 24 to 28. This year’s theme is "Light Art." In addition to a dazzling Starlight Boulevard, a 3D light sculpture show will be held at the Lishan Church, bringing the popular 3D architectural projection technology from the Taichung Prefectural Hall to Lishan, creating the first light snowfall in the region. On the opening night of December 24, all performances will feature light-themed elements. Everyone is welcome to visit Lishan and celebrate a unique Christmas Eve.
This year’s Lishan Arts Festival will kick off on Christmas Eve, December 24. (Photo provided by the Taichung City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau)
The Taichung City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau uses the Lishan Arts Festival as an opportunity to bring resources to Lishan and share diverse cultural activities. This year, to offer residents and visitors a new artistic experience, the bureau has chosen "Light Art" as the festival’s main theme, organizing a five-day event called "Light Visits Lishan – 2013 Lishan Arts Festival." In addition to various light-themed performances, the 10-minute "Santa Claus Is Coming" 3D light sculpture show will arrive on Christmas Eve, December 24, riding a sleigh up the mountain. It will transform the Lishan Church into a canvas, using light and shadow to depict the changing beauty of Lishan’s four seasons, telling the story of Lishan to the world.
The 2013 Lishan Arts Festival will open on Christmas Eve. To allow local students, residents, and visitors to immerse themselves in the Christmas spirit, the Cultural Affairs Bureau has planned a feast of light from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Lishan Church, with a multicultural Christmas dinner beginning at 5:30 PM to kick off the event. Through food sharing among people of all backgrounds, attendees can experience genuine cultural exchange. Santa Claus, arriving by sleigh, will interact with the crowd in a lively manner inside the church, sharing stories and joy.
At 6:30 PM, the "Glorious Christmas – Fluorescent Opening Gala" will officially begin. Like magic dust sprinkled by Santa, all performance groups will center their acts around the theme of "light." Attendees will receive a fluorescent stick to join in the fun and liven up the atmosphere. The stage will also feature the Weijin Dragon Lion Martial Arts War Drum Troupe and street performers Fire Major Club from downtown Taichung, competing in dance and drumming with Lishan National Elementary and Middle School, Pingdeng Elementary School, the Lishan Drum Team, and the Zigeili Band. A 7-meter-tall Light Christmas Tree and the 3D light sculpture show will be unveiled at the event.
Against the backdrop of the Lishan Church, the highly anticipated "Santa Claus Is Coming" 3D light sculpture show, designed and planned over several months by the production team through site surveys, will use the interplay of light and architecture to create the first light snowfall in Taiwan on the church. The 10-minute show begins with the migration journey of the Atayal people, with memories of the old building layering into Lishan’s serene mountain scenery. Amid a series of light changes, the church transforms into Santa Claus from Western mythology, bringing hope and blessings, allowing residents and visitors to see Lishan’s past, present, and future.
Beyond the Lishan Church, a Starlight Boulevard created by indigenous artist Chang Youwen and his community using Atayal cultural elements and illuminated decorations features street performers such as a Magic Castle, variety acts, and living statues. Each performance dances with light, creating a joyful atmosphere that enlivens the usually tranquil Lishan nights. At the end of the boulevard stands a Lishan Tea Teddy Bear at the entrance of Lishan National Elementary and Middle School, while a Taiya Warrior Teddy Bear greets visitors at the entrance of Lishan Hotel. Additionally, school hallway murals created as part of the festival’s warm-up campus painting activity have been brought to life by artist Liao Bensheng.
After the opening gala on December 24, the 3D light sculpture show will continue to be screened daily at 7:00 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:00 PM, and 8:30 PM from December 25 to 28. The dreamlike evening banquets under the stars, the Starlight Boulevard, and the Light Christmas Tree will remain to illuminate Lishan, showcasing the region’s vibrant inner and outer beauty to visitors from near and far.
● Further Reading:
December’s Warm Exclusive: The Second Round of Christmas Trees Collection
http://goo.gl/8OyPIw