Last night I braved the traffic and headed to the Sharjah Light Festival that is taking place at 12 locations around the emirate. It was quite magical. I didn't make it to all 12 (three of them are on the east coast) but I did go to the main events at the Municipality building and the Central Souk. The Municipality is a new building that is yet to open but its traditional architectural structure leant itself marvellously to the 10-minute light and sound projection show that plays three times an hour every night during the festival. It took French artist Laurent Langlois almost a year to put together the show which made use of every facet and surface of the large building to project a beautiful spectacle of colour and imagery that included calligraphy, Oriental miniatures and animals. "It is intended to convey a message to the audience about Islamic culture because Sharjah has been nominated as Islamic Captial of Culture 2014," said Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, the director general of Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority. However it is also one of the emirate's "anchor" events, Al Midfa continued. "Sharjah has always been focused on culture and education and this is what we call info-tainment something that is informative as well as entertaining." At the Central Souk, was a kind of musical theatre performance by another French outfit called Ilotopie. They put on a one hour performance of a circus style act on the water of the lake with the aid of plenty of fireworks and props to immerse the audience into a fantastical performance. <strong>* Sharjah Light Festival runs until Friday from 7.30pm until late. For more info visit: www.slf.ae</strong> Water Fools was a circus-style entertainment show on water by French troupe Ilotopie. (Pic courtesy of Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority)
