The Eye on Taiwan news staff
The 2018 Christmasland, one of the most popular winter events in Taiwan, kicked off on Friday evening at Banqiao in New Taipei City with Mayor Eric Chu presiding over the launching ceremony.
A brilliant 6-minute 3D projection mapping light show — “Space Adventure” — marked the opening of the Christmasland in the presence of hundreds of visitors, according to the New Taipei City Government.
A total of 900 LED tubes were also set up around the corridor of the 2nd floor of the Civil Plaza presenting a lighting show simultaneously with the 3D light projection show, the city government said.
The 47-day event will last until January 1st, 2019, it noted.
According to the city government, there are not only spectacular programs each week, but also must-see attractions: the four light zones and four overpasses decorated with rose gold, pink, blue, and silver white lights.
This year, the light zones are extended to the busy and bustling Fuzhong Shopping Area to bring visitors an unprecedented, dreamlike, and elegant lighting area, it said, referring to a similar event which attracted tens of thousands of visitors last year.
“Christmasland’s trademark “projecting mapping”- the largest in Taiwan for the entire projected area – brings yet another twist and innovation this year by attempting to install 900 tubes of RGB pixel-controlled LED at the cloister on the second floor of city government building for the first time ever,” the city government said.
Using the latest generation of a pixel-controlled lighting system provided by Germany’s Madrix, the LED tubes are tightly connected to either side of the Citizen’s Square to create a gigantic circular screen that runs from the city government building to the Christmas tree, it said.
Following the tech and art combination trend this year, the lighting area at Banqiao Station’s front plaza brings visitors the first-ever giant LED ball-like art installation in Taiwan, called The Fascinating Planet, another work made with Germany’s state-of-the-art pixel-controlled lighting system, it said.
A fascinating, colorful light show is to start every half an hour from Saturday, the city government said, adding this year, Christmasland also cooperates with Jen Lewin, a famous interactive media artist from New York to show visitors her work — The Pool, an interactive art installation, which has been exhibited at Vivid Sydney, Burning Man, Istanbul Light Festival, and Signal Festival in Prague etc., it said.
The highlight of the lighting area at New Banqiao Central Park is the first free outdoor performance in Taiwan by Robocar POLI and his rescue team, kids’ favorite Korean animation star.
All people are invited to enjoy 47 days of fun at the Christmasland festival, where they have the chance to see the most beautiful Christmas light decorations, as well as shop and take pictures at the Planet Container Market.
