Sharjah: Iconic landmarks in Sharjah will again be adorned in vivid colours as the Sharjah Light Festival 2017 rolls into town from February 2 to 11, featuring new attractions, officials announced on Monday.
This year, the annual event will include a new building — Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies — bringing up the tally to 13 locations featuring the show in the emirate.
Also new will be enhanced 3D effects of video-mapping onto the buildings and touchscreen options enabling visitors to control the multimedia content projected onto some of the sites. There will also be a parade on Buhairah Corniche, from Al Majaz Waterfront to the Amphitheatre.
The 10-day festival will be held at Arab-Islamic styled mosques, government buildings, academic institutions, cultural sites and tourist spots in the emirate. There is no fee to enjoy the colourful shows and displays at the locations.
During the opening ceremony, guests will be given 3D glasses to enjoy a 3D show at Al Qasimia University, said Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, the festival’s organiser.
His comments came during a press conference announcing details of the festival at Al Qasimia University Theatre, attended by Shaikh Mohammad bin Humaid Al Qasimi, director of the Department of Statistics and Community Development in Sharjah.
The festival is held under the patronage of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
During the festival’s sixth edition last year, the event attracted more than 650,000 visitors and generated around 2.8 million posts and shares on social media and websites, Al Midfa added.
This year, there will also be competitions, including one for the best picture of the festival on Instagram. The prize and other details will be announced soon, he said.
There will be a dedicated bus service taking visitors to the sites in Sharjah city, where most of the participating buildings will be on show. There will also be a building each in Kalba, Khor Fakkan and Al Dhaid areas of the emirate.
The show will begin each day at 6pm — after sunset — to bring out the contrast of the lighting against the night sky and it will last till 11pm on workdays and till midnight on weekends.
“Most of the shows will be 3D video-mapping, without the need for 3D glasses, for a 3D look and feel. It’s not just a light show. We’re promoting the culture and architecture of Sharjah in the UAE and worldwide,” Al Midfa said.
Responding to questions about the energy impact of the festival, he said the shows actually save 50 to 60 per cent of power consumption compared to normal days because the regular lights of the building and its immediate vicinity are switched off during the shows.
Al Midfa did not mention the budget for the festival but said “we don’t make a profit on the festival. Our profit is the guests’ experience”.
Box: Sharjah Light Festival 2017
February 2 to 11
6pm to 11pm on weekdays
6pm to midnight on weekends
Locations:
University City Hall, Cultural Palace, Al Noor Mosque, Al Taqwa Mosque, and Al Qasba (internal facades), Palm Garden, Khalid Lagoon Corniche, Kalba University, Khor Fakkan University, Dibba Mosque, Al Dhaid Mosque, Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies.
The festival is free for all members of the public
