MANILA, Philippines – On November 15, Makati celebrated the coming of the most wonderful season of the year with Ayala Triangle Gardens’ Festival of Lights, the signature lights and sound show that has beguiled thousands of Filipinos each yuletide season.
Ayala Land, together with its co-presenter HSBC and partners MasterCard, Coca Cola, Sun Life and Oishi, presents this year’s much-anticipated Festival of Lights with three themes – Christmas Fiesta, Classic and Epic Christmas, and Sweet and Magical Christmas, every 30 minutes nightly. Bringing the Festival of Lights to a whole new level for 6 years now are award-winning directors Voltaire de Jesus and Luther Gumia, with musical score expertly arranged by acclaimed musicians and composers Jazz Nicholas and Mikey Amistoso of Watusi Manila.
The Festival of Lights is the centerpiece of Ayala Land’s 2 months-long Christmas spectacle that aims to bring holiday cheer to everyone. It runs daily from November 15 to January 8, 2017, every 30 minutes from 6PM to 10PM.
As darkness falls, blazing lights will transform the Ayala Triangle Gardens into a magical paradise as more than a million twinkling lights start to play with the sounds. As the sounds of Christmas favorites fill the air, the string lights on trees and field lights on the ground start dancing. For several minutes these lights will flash and change colors to the beat of the music, bringing the unmistakable Christmas spirit alive.
Bask in electric beats that depict the holiday spirit through 3 distinct medleys. The Christmas fiesta will showcase a collection of music that will encapsulate the well-celebrated Filipino tradition with fun, bright and very rapid movements inspired by Rio de Janeiro.
The second medley will take the audience to a whole new world of classic and epic views with scores inspired by magical, heroic and period films. Coupled with a vast array of sparkling colors depicting the traditional Christmas spirit, memorable feelings of joy and passion fill the hearts of revelers.
And to conclude the show, the 20,000 square meter garden will come ablaze with color as more than one million light bulbs dance to sweet and magical beats inspired by the much-loved Disney repertoire, transforming the landscape into a wonderful Christmas dream.
“This year, we’ve prepared another magnificent show that will definitely spark everyone’s merry hearts, bringing families, friends and the whole community together and remind them of the joys of Christmas,” said Shiella Aguilar, Project Development Manager for Makati.
For the past six years, Makati has captivated people with its spectacular lights and sounds show, the only one of its kind in the Philippines. The Festival of Lights has made it to the coveted list of Conde Nast Traveller’s Seven Most Spectacular Lights in the World, in the company of distinguished luminaries such as the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark, the holiday lights display at the legendary Champs-Elysees in Paris and Japan’s Kobe Luminarie.
Beyond the Ayala Triangle Gardens, major Makati thoroughfares Ayala Avenue, Paseo de Roxas, and Makati Avenue are festooned with beautiful street lights, stained glass wrapped around palm trees, and kinetic windmills. Across the metropolis, concrete islands have been transformed into Christmas landmarks featuring holiday themes closest to people’s hearts – the Holy Family, the Three Kings, angels, Christmas parols and gifts.
This year, these bright lights and sounds are shining beyond Makati, as Ayala Land brings its much-awaited lights and sounds show across Nuvali, BGC, Centrio, and Ayala Center Cebu—an effort to spread the Christmas vibe and cheer to various communities.
Makati has also lined up exciting events to delight people this holiday season. Be amazed as Circuit Makati lights its tallest outdoor Christmas Tree, an immersive 56 feet installation that will loom over the biggest outdoor Circuit Makati Bazaar. The holiday shopping extravaganza will feature over 500 merchants offering a wide assortment of gift items, food, clothes, and holiday delights at the Globe Circuit Events Grounds on November 18-20.
Also, for the first time ever, The Gourmand Market will step foot in Makati as it brings its well-loved gastronomic delights at the Ayala Triangle Gardens on December 9 -11. Enjoy a wide array of food and culinary delights from Buns Brothers, Tipple and Slaw, NAV Modern Thai, Les Bagels, Empanada Mas, Manongs Bagnet, Garapal, Olympia’s Roast Beef, Pastry Amoire, Pedro beer, Pepi Cubano, Sevilla & Son, Soap Story, Stanford and Shaw, Type A, and Snackbox.
On December 19, witness Makati high school chorale groups serenade everyone with well-loved Christmas carols at the Makati Inter-High School Caroling Competition at the Globe Circuit Events Grounds.
To give meaning to the season, daily Thanksgiving Masses will be held from December 15 – 23 at the Ayala Triangle Gardens Fountain Area every evening at 6pm.
Christmas is indeed the season that never fails to delight even the busiest of people, who all anticipate and delight in Makati’s yearly holiday tradition. Once again, Makati promises memorable and delightful holiday festivities for families, colleagues and friends.
Drop by the Festival of Lights at the Ayala Triangle Gardens for a spectacular way to celebrate the Christmas season. The Festival of Lights runs daily, every 30 minutes from 6PM to 10PM, from November 15 to January 8, 2017.