Colombia’s second largest city, Medellin, is expecting to have the biggest explosion of lights in the 50 years existence of the city’s extravagant Christmas tradition.
Christmas has put Medellin on the world map for many years for its incredible spectacle of lights. Famed by National Geographic as one of the 10 best places to see the holiday Christmas lights, Medellin is expecting this year to be extra special.
The city’s mayor, Anibal Gaviria, suggested that Medellin will have more lights than ever before this Christmas and that he is hoping to receive more than 4 million visitors-the total number of visitors last year – according to El Colombiano.
Medellin began lighting up the city 50 years ago and each year manages to spark the festive spirit of Christmas in locals and tourists alike with it’s dazzling river displays.
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For the first time in its history, the city has invited locals to contribute to the magic.
Over 1,500 proposals have been sent to local utilities company EPM from which the company selected a proposal focused on peace and reconciliation, a particularly important current theme because of ongoing government peace talks with rebel group FARC in Havana.
The installation of the Christmas lights began at the end of August and will cover 100 locations across the city and its surroundings when they finally flick the switch on November 29.
The Medellin river will feature 1.1 miles of decorations between the bridge of Guayaquil and the bridge of San Juan and 2,650 hexagon blinkers.
The life and work of four important peace figures (Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King and Mother Teresa) will be presented between the Pies Descalzos Park and the EPM building in Medellin city centre.
Apart from Medellin, 14 more municipalities in Antioquia will celebrate a particularly illuminated Christmas. These 14 municipalities are the winners of EPM’s contest “Let’s light up the happiness.”
The prize consists of lighting kits installed, maintained and transported at EPM’s cost.
Photos
Christmas decoration planned for La Playa
The Medellin river
One of the decorations along the Medellin river
One of the decorations along the Medellin river
One of the decorations along the Medellin river
One of the decorations along the Medellin river
One of the decorations along the Medellin river
One of the decorations along the Medellin river
Sources
- El alumbrado de Medellín se encenderá el 29 de noviembre (El Colombiano)
- EPM (official page)
