More than a decade since launching, the Sharjah Light Festival continues to shine
This year it began on Wednesday night with a sparkling opening with the emirate's tourist and family attractions illuminated in dazzling colours and light schemes. The festival will run until February 19.
The annual event is a celebration of the city's rich cultural heritage and an opportunity to show off buildings and landmarks that play a major role in everyday life.
There is Al Noor Mosque, a central point of worship during Friday prayers and Ramadan, completed in 2006. The lights accentuate its Islamic design motifs and materials that include gold, marble, soil and shells.
Sharjah Fort Al Hisn is also in the limelight. Built in 1823 before being renovated and reopened in 2015, the square, two-storey construction was previously the Sharjah government's headquarters and the residence of the ruling Al Qasimi family.
New sites are also featured, including Kalba Clock Tower Square, opened last year by Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. At 60m tall, the tower is part of a large site that includes 12 water fountains and 60 smaller water features.
The Sharjah Light Festival was first held in 2010 at the Sharjah Chambers of Commerce, but has gone on to cast a bigger shadow with each staging.
Sheikh Dr Sultan launched the 2011 event in Al Qasba before going on a boat trip from Qasba Canal to Khalid Lagoon as part of a procession of abras, The National reported at the time.
In 2013, the emirate's east coast permanently joined the festivities, with the historical Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Khorfakkan and Sharjah University's campus in Kalba lit up for the occasion.
The following year, it featured an expansive hour-long parade beginning at Flag Island and covering the expanse of Khalid Lagoon before leading to the central souq.
Last year, the festival theme was Echoes of the Future. The opening night featured a light show at University City Hall that projected many of the Sharjah milestones in the fields of art, astronomy, architecture and the environment.
This year's festival will continue to highlight the emirate's story, one that will radiate for a long time to come.
