Another light test, raking some leaves and finishing the catering points. Today the last dots are being put on the i in the Rensenpark in Emmen. Because from tomorrow the city park of Emmen will light up again with the China Lights Festival.
The China Lights Festival is a route through the Rensenpark with the theme ‘trip around the world’ this year. Along that route there are various light images that take you on a world trip. This is supported with food and drinks from different continents and music.
“The last stretch is always more than you think,” says a busy Henk Hiddingh. He is one of the organizers of the festival. “It’s not nice enough here yet, it’s not full enough there, the lights have to be tested and a few things still have to be done, especially in the catering industry, but it has to be ready tomorrow. So that will work.”
The recycled sculptures in particular require some attention. “The new lights all work fine, but we have reused a number of sculptures from last year, so they have been re-upholstered and sprayed. They sometimes malfunction and the earth switch trips. Then there is still some work to be done,” says Hiddingh.
“The masterpiece for which people should come?” There is not, according to Hiddingh. “There are a few toppers, but you have to rely mainly on the total experience. We have brought that back even more with the theme of world travel. The music, the food, you really feel like you are on a journey.”
Hiddingh is proud of a piece. That is the multimedia show on the Savannah, where people are taken on a world tour with light, sound and video. “That will be a blast,” according to the organizer.
Where corona threw a spanner in the works last year, Hiddingh is at least certain this year that the increased energy prices are not a problem. “Really everything is lit with LED lamps and they have a low power consumption. I think that the hot plates in the catering industry cost more energy than the lamps from China.”
In addition, the organization has made good agreements with the electricity suppliers. In the case of the festival of lights, that is the municipality of Emmen.
Last year, 60,000 people walked along the route of lights, but Hiddingh hopes for more visitors this year. “Now we also have the Christmas holidays in the period and we stay longer in the park. So I really hope that we have 20,000 to 30,000 more visitors than last year.”
From tomorrow evening until March 5, the China Lights Festival can be admired in the Rensenpark in Emmen. The park remains open during the day for a walk, but it closes at 4.30 pm and then it is only accessible to people with a ticket for the festival of lights.