The Guangzhou International Light Festival will be unveiled Oct. 27 and run through Nov. 19, spanning 24 days in total. The festival is free of charge to the public.

WITH the Thai festival Loi Krathong Festival coming up soon, Chiang Mai in particular will turn into a heaven of lights. The celestial view of thousands of lanterns swiftly floating into the air is nothing less than alluring. Other annual outdoor lighting festivals take place across the world, such as Vivid Sydney still eight months away and the Lyon Festival of Lights three months away. The good news is that the Guangzhou International Light Festival, where you can see top-notch light shows, is set to take off in five days and is free of charge.

The festival will be unveiled Friday and run through Nov. 19, spanning 24 days in total. It is expected to be more impressive than previous years with the participation of design studios from three different countries including Danny Rose from France, ONGA Artful Light from Thailand and Ruifeng Culture from China.

Danny Rose, a pioneer in the field of interactive art, will join hands with Ruifeng Culture designer Wei Lai to present a depiction of a tree made from dynamic beams and particles of light, signifying different stages of its life cycle throughout the four seasons.

The artistic approach of Danny Rose is centered on synesthetic immersive experiences. He has developed an advanced concept of sensorial narration based on cutting-edge video projection technologies and sound specialization, transforming space and plunging the public into the heart of the experience.

ONGA Artful Light, which is known for marrying lights with pragmatism in a creative way to bring to life the charm of a city, will bring “The Sunflowers” from Vivid Sydney 2017 to Guangzhou.

The lighting show of Canton Tower will be presented by Huang Peiling, general manager of Ruifeng Culture. Huang will turn the landmark building into a stunning light show, illuminating the night sky of the city by employing light projection.

A total of 30 works will be exhibited at the main venue of Flower City Square. All the light installations utilize new energy, making a traditionally energy-heavy event more environmentally friendly and energy-saving.

During the light festival, the square in front of Guangzhou Opera House will turn into a “water curtain cave,” staging a water screen projection show. Numerous laser beams will shuttle back and forth between high-rise buildings at the south square to produce a cool effect.

The seven bridges flying over the front channel of the Pearl River will also be equipped with LED screens and LED light paintings to deliver a nicer night view for visitors. Taking a cruise to cross under Liede Bridge will lend the illusion of entering a world of light.

The 14 corridors at Zhujiang New Town will also be decorated with stunning lights during the festival.

For those living far away from the CBD, the subvenue of Yifa Commercial Street in Panyu will act as a remote outlet of the show, with the mascot of the festival has on display and bringing interactive fun to the streets there.

Transport: Take a high-speed train to Guangzhou, then take the metro to Zhujiang New Town Station. Go out at Exit B1, walk for 500 meters and turn left at Guangzhou Opera House to reach Flower City Square. (Chen Xiaochun)