LuminoCity, New York’s largest lantern lights festival returned this holiday season to a new location in Nassau County at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, New York. Minority and women founder of LuminoCity Festival, Xiaoyi Chen, created the successful business in 2019, with influences from her childhood growing up in Zigong, China. After experiencing the city’s annual lantern festival, Chen was captivated by the lantern-making techniques and mystical ambiance, that she insisted on finding a way to expand the festival to the United States.
Chen’s goal for the LuminoCity Festival was to combine traditional lantern-making techniques with modern design to introduce a new experience. LuminoCity Festival is more than just a light festival – it brings together illuminated sculptures, storytelling, and culture unlike anything the city has seen before.
As an on-going independent business, LuminoCity Festival is officially a certified vendor by Nassau County Minority and Women Business Enterprise. The Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise program is designed to assist the growth and development of businesses owned and controlled by women and minority groups.
“As a woman, I feel it is very important to inspire and encourage other females to immerse themselves in a male-dominated event and production industry,” says Chen. “When I first started LuminoCity Festival, I faced challenges surrounding my age, race, and gender. I learned that it is important to stay true to my vision and learn to make connections to make my dream festival a reality.”
With a desire to create unforgettable and immersive experiences, LuminoCity Festival uses light and imagination to illuminate works of art. This year’s Pure Magic theme is ideal for family and friends of all ages as they will walk through a narrative journey with mind-blowing light-art illustrations featuring eight unique displays. From Wildlife Safari, Dinosaur Adventures, Magic Kingdom, Alice’s Enchantment, Winter Wonderland, HolidayLAND, and more, this experience covers over 17 acres of Long Island’s very own historic Eisenhower Park. Now through January 8th, the immersive magical wonderland will take place every Wednesday to Sunday from 4:30pm to 9:30pm, excluding holidays.
