Hello Panda – Sneak Peak to North America’s Largest Lantern Installation

Dec 8

Dec 8 Hello Panda – Sneak Peak to North America’s Largest Lantern Installation

On Thursday, December 5th, selected press representatives and affiliates were invited to the opening of the first-ever Hello Panda Festival in New York City. The installation covers almost the entire New York Citi Field which makes it the largest lantern arts event in North America.

Over 120 lantern displays handcrafted by more than 60 world-renowned lantern artisans have been arranged to stunning settings across Citi Field. The little islands of lantern-based Christmas trees, princess castles and magic forests completely transformed the usually plain parking lot into a Winter Wonderland. Credit for this extraordinary transformation can be given to the Chinese Performing Arts of America Association (CPAA) which has co-produced various events at the Lincoln and Kennedy Center since 2013.

Winston Wang, General Manager of CPAA North America, traces the current popularity of lantern festivals back to the growing “role of social media in today’s world”. Accordingly, many guests were excited by the numerous ‘instagrammable’ settings that qualified for some great Social Media posts. Unfortunately, the weather situation didn’t allow for too many photo sessions.

But spectators weren’t left in the cold. Prepared for the freezing temperatures, the considerable event management team set up igloo-like tents where attendees were invited to warm up while enjoying the complimentary open bar. The selection of beer, wine and cocktails was complemented by authentic dishes from around the world such as miniature burgers or waffle crepes.

The main tent also hosted one of the main events, an elaborate DJ Pult with supporting live violin players. Here, guests could dance the cold away to soothing beats and lively Christmas classics or simply sit down and relax while soaking in the stunning exterior.

All in all, the Hello Panda Festival truly makes up for an extraordinary experience that can be visited and revisited anytime from now until January 26, 2020.