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New York City is no stranger to some of the most stunning light shows in the country during the holiday season. But this winter, a new light show coming to Queens may just raise the bar entirely.
Tianyu Lights Festival will make its NYC debut adjacent to Citi Field between November 14, 2024 and January 12, 2025. The festival combines traditional Chinese artistry with light sculptures and new technology, providing visitors with a truly immersive cultural experience. Tianyu Arts & Culture has previously produced over 85 festivals across the U.S. in the past decade and is ready to tackle NYC’s already rich history of holiday light displays.
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But behind the lights and sculptures is the storyline that inspires the entire festival: Koda’s Adventure. A 7-year-old boy, Koda, has just returned from journeying to the Amazon rainforest. The plants and animals that visitors will see, sprinkled with magical elements, are from Koda’s own memories and imagination. As visitors wander through the light show, they will piece together Koda’s dream fragments, with chances to uncover clues and win prizes. Of course, this means lots of photo ops, too.
Behind the lit-up trees and magical animals of Koda’s dreams lie the team that brought the festival to life, comprised of Chinese lantern artists and video game designers—all of who have been commissioned to design and create installations made with steel, LED lights, and other colorful fabrics. Their goal? To produce the most immersive live gaming experience for people from all walks of life and of all ages. What’s a more fitting place to do so than NYC?
But that’s not all. There will also be live performances of traditional Chinese plucked string instruments, dances, and artwork of various traditional Chinese styles. If that’s not enough, you can also visit the Magical Forest Marketplace and find panda-themed items and light-up paintings for purchase. And if you’re hungry, you can stop by the Forest Food Court for a selection of food and beverage options.
“We are thrilled to make our debut in New York City’s cultural epicenter during this year’s holiday season,” said Huiyuan Liu, event manager of Tianyu Arts & Culture, in a press release. “Bringing our lights festival to New York City, a metropolitan renowned for its diverse cultures and communities, allows us to showcase traditional Chinese lanterns in a whole new light—our lantern installations are technologically advanced, have different layers of tech and innovations built into them, and are incredibly beautiful.”
The light show is open from 5pm to 10pm, with the last entry at 9pm. It is closed on November 19, December 9, December 16, December 20, and January 6. Tickets are available from September 2.