By Christina Arlotta
A wash of blue and purple lights spilled across Eisenhower Park as visitors stepped onto the path where glowing flowers rose from the ground and towering installations stretched into the night. Ahead, a 50-foot-tall illuminated “Castle in the Sky” anchored the landscape, while the happy sounds of children echoed throughout the park. Nearby, the scent of hot chocolate drifted from a food truck as cameras flashed along winding walkways lined with seemingly countless colorful light displays.
In partnership with Nassau County, the LuminoCity Festival returned to Eisenhower Park for its fourth year in December with a new theme, “Fantasy Winter Fairyland,” and a broader lineup of attractions. The walk-through festival spanned 14 acres and featureed millions of LED lights, large-scale illuminated sculptures, interactive installations and designated photo areas.
The park’s light mascot, Lumi, guided visitors along the pathway of dazzling displays, as guests stopped often to snap photos and take in the brightly lit surroundings.
Visitors stopped for the brightly lit holiday installations featuring Lumi, LuminoCity’s mascot, and his festive friends. // Photo by Christina Arlotta/Long Island Advocate.
“I’m just enjoying everything and loving all the lights. I’m having a blast,” said Diana Rivera, of Wantagh. “The fact that it’s snowing right now adds so much to it.”
Since its debut, the LuminoCity Festival has become a seasonal tradition at Eisenhower Park, drawing visitors with themed light installations and immersive walk-through displays. Every year, LuminoCity organizers and designers strive to bring in new and unique pieces of art into the festival, offering returning visitors a different experience as the event continues to evolve.
New attractions brought to light
As part of the “Fantasy Winter Fairyland” theme, the festival added several new attractions, including an Enchanted Forest. The installation featured glowing plants and trees in cool tones of purple, blue, green and pink. A large, watchful eye peered at guests as they strolled along the winding path. Occasional bursts of smoke enhanced the almost mystical atmosphere.
A large, glowing eye overlooked the winding path of the Enchanted Forest, where vibrant plants and bursts of mist create an eerie, fantastical atmosphere. // Photo by Christina Arlotta/Long Island Advocate
The festival also introduced a new interactive children’s play area, featuring a large LED dance floor, light-up swings and seesaws. The colorful installations provided children with a place to pause from the light displays and enjoy hands-on fun before returning to the exhibits.
“We do have quite a few new additions. In fact, about 95% of what you’re looking at is brand new this year,” said John Biata, project manager with LuminoCity. “Literally just about every other display that you see is new.”
The festival also expanded its photo opportunities, adding several new displays throughout the park that encouraged visitors to pause and capture the experience.
Visitors could pose as if floating in a golden hot air balloon, step inside a light-up horse and carriage or pop their heads through a variety of snowman and gingerbread-themed cutouts along the route.
Another new addition was the Lumi Express, a glowing golden train installation that invited visitors to step inside the rail cars and pose for photos as if riding into the New Year. Its bright lights and immersive design quickly made the attraction one of the park’s most popular stops, drawing long lines of guests eager to capture the moment.
“It’s beautiful to see the additions they made, and there’s many more interactive activities for the kids,” said Linn Kennedy, of Westbury. “The place is magical, and I love seeing so many people having a great time. In some ways, I felt like this was more magical than some of the things at Disney.”
The Lumi Express, a golden, illuminated train installation, served as a popular photo opportunity for visitors at the park, allowing guests to step inside the cars and “ride” into the new year. // Photo by Christina Arlotta/Long Island Advocate.
Aglow with creativity
“Icy the Bunny,” an illuminated light sculpture based on a drawing by 5-year-old artist Cassie Yu, was displayed as part of Lumi’s Utopia at the LuminoCity Festival. The installation was one of 10 winning designs featured in this year’s “Fantasy Winter Fairyland” theme. // Photo by Christina Arlotta/Long Island Advocate
One portion of the park was devoted to “Lumi’s Utopia,” a collaborative exhibit between LuminoCity and the Long Island Children’s Museum. Now in its fourth year, the initiative invited young artists to submit original drawings inspired by an annual theme. The program gave children the chance to take part directly in creating the festival while celebrating their imagination and artistry.
Selected submissions were transformed into illuminated, three-dimensional light sculptures and displayed in a dedicated section of the festival. Families were then invited to experience the display together, offering children the excitement of seeing their artwork brought to life in a vivid, interactive setting. This year’s “Fantasy Winter Fairyland” theme brought interpretations of imaginary animals, fairy-tale characters and snowy landscapes to life.
“I love the Long Island Children’s Museum and take my students all the time every year,” said Maria Quinones-Ford, of Amityville. “So, just to hear that they have that opportunity to do artistic things and express themselves is amazing.”
A penguin light sculpture, created from a drawing by 8-year-old artist Julia Zukowski, was displayed as part of Lumi’s Utopia at the LuminoCity Festival. // Photo by Christina Arlotta/Long Island Advocate
This year, the festival presented the creations of 10 winning young artists, including “Icy the Bunny,” the “Winter Princess Fairy” and the “Magical Fairy Kitten.” These light installations have become a highlight of the festival, engaging audiences young and old with their creativity and charm.
“The little penguin is my favorite, because penguins are my favorite animal,” said River Kennedy, 6, excitedly.
“We want you to feel like this is a holiday tradition. We want you to feel at home here,” Biata said. “We’re constantly running different specials for families to make it more affordable for you. We understand that that’s always top of mind for busy families. I promise you, it’s a cliche, but it’s one of those things you really have to see to believe.”
The festival ran through Jan. 1.
