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MANILA, Philippines – It usually begins to look a lot like Christmas when colorful strings of light brighten the city as the “ber” months kick in.
Some, though, are not simple Christmas lights, but lights changing color and “dancing” in time to holiday music. These light and sound shows are painstakingly conceptualized and directed – in one show, one minute of visuals and music takes 4 hours just to program into the system – all to bring some holiday cheer, and perhaps magic.
Here are 7 magical light and sound shows to catch this holiday season, with most of them running until the first week of January next year. Perhaps there’s one near you!
Festival of Lights, Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City
One of the earliest Christmas light and sound shows in Metro Manila, Ayala Triangle Gardens’ Festival of Lights is popular among those who work in the Makati business district, and even among those visiting the city on a weekend. It has perhaps inspired other light and sound shows, with strings of Christmas lights wrapped around or hanging from Ayala Triangle Gardens’ trees, changing color in time to a medley of Filipino and foreign Christmas music every year. (LOOK: The 2017 Festival of Lights at Ayala Triangle)
Where: Ayala Triangle Gardens, Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue, Makati City
When: Daily until January 7, 2018. Every 30 minutes, from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Below is a 360-degree video of the show:
BGC Gets Lit!, Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig
Just near Makati City is a crystal-inspired light and sound show at Bonifacio High Street’s park in Taguig City, with a huge “gift box” made up of small crystalline spheres, changing color to holiday music, and sometimes surrounded by fog and dancing laser lights. Around the gift box are lights twirled around palm trees and more lights hanging from establishments around the area, which also blink and change color in time to music.
Below is a video of the light and sound show, including a closeup of the crystalline lights:
Where: Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
When: Daily until January 7, 2018. Every 30 minutes, from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Christmas Musical Street Light Tunnel, Ortigas, Pasig City
People passing through Frontera Drive in Tiendesitas, Ortigas, are in for a treat with the Christmas Musical Street Light Tunnel. Its pixel lights ripple out in patterns resembling a rainbow. This light display is also set to classic and Filipino holiday music.
Below is a video of the Christmas Musical Street Light Tunnel:
Where: Tiendesitas, Frontera Drive (Ortigas East), Ortigas, Pasig City
When: Until January 7, 2018
Vertis Northern Lights, Vertis North, Quezon City
Up north in Metro Manila is a light and sound show portraying the Christmas tradition of Simbang Gabi, with a giant cathedral all aglow, surrounded by pillars of light. All blink and change color to Christmas medleys and amid fog and laser lights. The cathedral looks very much like the architecture of century-old Spanish churches.
Below is a video of the Vertis Northern Lights:
Where: Vertis North, North Avenue, Quezon City
When: Daily until January 8, 2018. Every 30 minutes, from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Sparkle of Christmas, Filinvest, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
In the southern part of Metro Manila, at Spectrum Linear Park in Alabang, is a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree with fairytale-like holiday animation projected through 3D mapping. Leading to the tree is an archway of Christmas lights in dazzling colors. (LOOK: There’s a giant Christmas tree and light extravaganza in Alabang!)
On Saturday evenings, the stage comes alive with musical performances while skies burst with fireworks on Sundays after the 9 pm light and sound show. The Sparkle of Christmas ends earlier than other shows as its last show is on December 31, but you can catch an early New Year’s Eve there.
Below is a video of the giant Christmas tree with projected holiday animation:
Where: Spectrum Linear Park, Filinvest, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
When: Friday to Sunday until December 31, 2017. Every 30 minutes, from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Magical Field of Lights, Nuvali, Sta Rosa, Laguna
In neighboring Laguna is perhaps the grandest among the Christmas light and sound shows: the Magical Field of Lights, a field of over 5,000 light buds that look like glowing tulips. Around 50 light spheres either “float” on the field or rest on the ground. All buds and spheres’ colors “dance” to Christmas medleys. Laser lights and fog above the field make the show more dramatic.
Outside the Magical Field of Lights are other light installations like a 50-meter light tunnel, Christmas trees, and dandelions. (LOOK: A brighter Magical Field of Lights this 2017 Christmas season)
Below is a clip from the Magical Field of Lights show:
Where: The Fields (near S&R), Nuvali, Sta Rosa, Laguna
When: Daily until January 8, 2018. Every 30 minutes, from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Vast Imaginarium Mirror Rooms, Capitol Commons, Pasig City
Technically not a Christmas light and sound show, the Vast Imaginarium Mirror Rooms are definitely a dazzling display of lights with appropriate background music, and worth catching this holiday season, as the rooms are only up until the first week of January, like most of the other light and sound shows.
With mirrors all around each of the 4 themed rooms, objects are reflected multiple times, creating colorful illusions. The rooms are inspired by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms. The Imaginarium has a fairytale-like room with toadstools, a forest room in luminous green, a shining room with spheres reminiscent of those in Kusama-designed rooms, and a futuristic-looking room. (READ: A Singapore Minute (Part 1 of 5): The National Gallery)
Have a glimpse of each mirror room in this video:
Where: Estancia Mall, Meralco Avenue, Capitol Commons, Ortigas, Pasig City
When: Daily until January 7, 2018. During mall hours, usually up to 10 pm.
– Rappler.com
Rhea Claire Madarang is a writer, researcher, and documenter whose work and wanderlust takes her to adventures like backpacking for 7 weeks and exploring remote islands and bustling cities alike. Follow her adventures, travel tips, and epiphanies on her blog Traveling Light and on her Instagram.
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