Sharjah: The Sharjah Light Festival started on Thursday night with a brilliant show on the exterior of the University City Hall in University City.
The seventh annual festival, organised by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, will run for 10 days until February 11, covering 13 locations across the emirate. It is held under the patronage of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
Daily shows will be taking place from 6pm till 11pm on weekdays, and till midnight on weekends. The shows will be held everyday from 6pm to 6.35pm and from 7.30pm to 8.15pm to observe Maghrib (sunset) and Isha (night) prayers, respectively.
Moreover, the Buhairah Corniche road between Al Majaz Waterfront and Al Majaz Amphitheatre will be closed for the daily parade from 9pm to 9.45pm every evening, from Friday to February 11.
The festival uses the buildings of Sharjah as a canvas for dynamic light shows, highlighting their Islamic as well as modern architecture. The event features large-scale light installations and projections — some accompanied by music — all celebrating Sharjah as a creative and cultural hub in the Middle East.
The seventh Sharjah Light Festival will cover 13 different locations spread across the emirate, including University City Hall, Cultural Palace, Al Noor Mosque, Al Taqwa Mosque, and Al Qasba, in addition to the interactive light shows in the Palm Garden and the parade on the Khalid Lagoon Corniche.
Other locations around the emirate include Kalba University, Khor Fakkan University, Dibba Mosque, Al Dhaid Mosque, and Masjid Shaikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi in Dibba. The Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies is also joining the festivities for the first time this year.
Over the years, the Sharjah Light Festival has succeeded in attracting thousands of visitors each year. The 2016 edition drew in more than 560,000 visitors from the UAE and abroad, while social media channels recorded 2.8 million interactions, according to Google Analytics.
Also new this year 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 is no fee to enjoy the colourful shows and displays at the locations.
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.
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, Al Qasba (internal facades), Palm Garden, Khalid Lagoon Corniche, Kalba University, Khor Fakkan University, Dibba Mosque, Masjid Shaikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi in Dibba, Al Dhaid Mosque, Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies.
