Macau’s 3rd Light Festival themed “Amor Macau” will be held between December 3 and December 31 at eight different locations, Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said on Wednesday during a press conference about the “Macau Light Festival 2017” at the Macau Design Centre.
The two previous light festivals were contracted out to companies from Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan. This year, the Macau Design Centre won an MOP18 million contract.
Addressing a press conference at the privately-owned centre, Senna Fernandes said as MGTO was cooperating with the centre, this year would be presented by a local team comprising about 100 local artists and designers. She added that the combination would allow residents and tourists to see a brand-new “Macau Light Festival”.
She also said that the theme “Amor Macau” had a special meaning as the city was affected by Super-Typhoon Hato earlier this year, after which residents united and helped each other. She said that love as this year’s theme expressed the idea that Macau is a loving place of cultural integration. “Amor” means “love” in Portuguese, Spanish and other Romance languages.
When asked about the number of expected viewers this year, Senna Fernandes said that last year recorded around 200,000 viewers, and she expected that this year the number would increase by a half.
According to the Macau Post Daily, the festival will take place in eight places scattered around the city. “Eight” is an auspicious number of Chinese numerology. The eight places that will be lit up are: Luís de Camões Park, St Anthony’s Church, St Lazarus’ Church & Calçada da Igreja de S. Lázaro, the Ruins of St. Paul’s, Anim’Arte NAM VAN, Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre, Largo do Senado, and the Taipa Houses.
The opening light show will take place at the Ruins of St Paul’s at 6:45 p.m. on December 3. The light show at the venue is entitled “Wish-Making Under The Stars”.
