AGB Events hosts yet another year of The Lights of Christmas, with Sydney’s iconic free animated light and sound show returning to St Mary’s Cathedral to kick off the festive seasons for all ages.
Opening night will be on Wednesday 6 December, and will see Sandra Sully host the event as the Cathedral will light up with the magical eye-catching show. The show will run right through to Christmas (including Christmas night), starting each night with a choir performance at 7:30pm, followed by the light and sound show commencing at 8:30pm and continuing until midnight.
Capturing the imagination of children and adults alike, this year’s show will be split into three themed segments, each taking viewers on a journey. The first will be a visual feast of decorative patterns inspired by St Mary’s stained glass windows and terrazzo mosaics, celebrating the beauty and craftsmanship inside. The illumination and expansion of the images will create multi-chromatic kaleidoscopes across the façade.
The second segment, titled “The Gift of Time”, will focus on the theme of being present, and paying attention to the people around you to share valuable time together at Christmas. In this animated story, we will follow our lead character, “Griffin”, taking the audience through a journey that will demonstrate the importance of putting down technology devices and taking time to appreciate your surroundings, your friends, and your family.
The characters in this story have been created by hand using watercolour and gauche in traditional styles, then brought to life and animated digitally. Bridging new technologies with traditional artistry is a hallmark of the style of AGB Events.
The story will be accompanied by an original soundtrack, which comprises powerful quick rhythms reinforced by mechanical and clockwork sounds acting as a reminder for us to look up from our technology devices and reconnect with loved ones.
The final segment of the show will be a series of Madonna and Child artworks featuring three old masters paintings and other masterpieces. This will also include images used in past years, which have been showcased on Australia Post’s 2017 Christmas stamp. This segment honours the elegance of the relationship between woman and child against the sacredness of St Mary’s Cathedral.
Anthony Bastic, Principal and Creative Director at AGB Events, said “The Lights of Christmas has continued to grow over the years, and has become a staple of Sydney’s Christmas family events calendar. This year, the mix of history and art has created a show that people of all ages can enjoy and become immersed in.”
Bar Coco will be providing a number of food and drink options for the duration of The Lights of Christmas, including Christmas themed churros, gelato, soft-serve ice cream and coffee. They have also planned a number of bespoke Christmas treats this year, such as white chocolate mint and red velvet milkshakes, red velvet lattes, and red waffle ice cream cones that come with soft-serve ice cream coated in a green waffle crunch.
The free event is the perfect way to light up everyone’s festive season with a night filled with light, song and colour up against St Mary’s Cathedral, an iconic landmark in Sydney.
