SANTIAGO — One month done and two to go, “Fesiluz” is running full steam at Parque de la Familia in Quinta Normal. This Chinese festival of lights dates back more than 1,800 years and there is something compelling about each display. Besides a pleasant night walk around the park, visitors can also enjoy a variety of live performances and foods on a summer night in Santiago.
The Festival Internacional de Luces de China en Chile* or, more simply, Fesiluz, has installed a stunning festival of lights at Parque de la Familia (“Family Park” in English) in the Santiago municipality of Quinta Normal.
Known worldwide as the Sichuan Chinese Lantern Festival, Fesiluz comes to Latin America for the first time.
According to the festival’s website, “One of the most important traditions with the arrival of the lunar new year that is celebrated every year in China is the Zigong Festival of Lights. Zigong is a city in Sichuan Province and its festival is a tradition that dates back more than 1,800 years. Nowadays, many countries and people have been able to appreciate the beauty of this festival, its large structures with colored lights and different themes, which include Chinese portals, the temple of heaven, dragons, birds, and the elements of the Chinese horoscope. The holiday and everything that surrounds it, make it the ideal place to enjoy music, colors, dances, meals, … and varied entertainment for children, youth, and adults.”
And so it is, with a beautiful, meandering installation that takes visitors through or past all these things and more, including a kitschy dinosaur display that is a mix of both lanterns and animatronics, and a mushroom display that can only be described as … well … psychedelic.
Meanwhile, on stage closer to the main entrance are live performances that include acrobatic and balancing acts, traditional songs and dances, and much more.
There is also a wide variety of local and international food available for those who want to take a break for onces or even a full dinner.
For a sneak peek at some of the displays (and others the festival has installed around the world) visit the Fesiluz Santiago YouTube channel.
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What/When/Where/Cost* A mouthful of a name, reminiscent of the fictional team Cuervos Negros Salvajes de Nuevo Toledo en Puebla.
Robert Travis grew up in San Francisco, California, and moved to Santiago, Chile, in July 2018. In addition to editing and writing for Chile Today, he practices law from afar with Travis & Travis. He’s thrilled to be living in the same hemisphere as “the world’s longest left,” Playa Chicama.