LED Lights Create a Halloween Harvest Moon in Hong Kong

With Halloween approaching, I was drawn towards this stunning lighting installation more than ever: doesn’t it look like a giant pumpkin? Actually, it’s called Golden Moon and it was designed by Kristof Crolla and Adam Fingrut to be the centerpiece for the Lee Kum Kee Lantern Wonderland Festival in Hong Kong. Put together by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and sponsored by Lee Kum Kee, the Wonderland festival ran from Sept 27th-Oct 2nd, and also featured a “Lantern Corridor” and a “Mid-Autumn Market,” which offered more beautiful lighting installations, traditional foods, arts and crafts.

LED strip lights

Golden Moon was the most spectacular sight, however, standing 18 meters high and built from bamboo, steel and fabric. It represents a giant version of the lanterns that are so important and symbolic in Chinese culture; its interior is also filled with smaller, circular lanterns. (Does that remind anybody of jack-o-lanterns or what?!)

LED strip lights

The outer structure is comprised of triangular pieces of fabric stretched over bamboo frames that jut outward, much like scales on a giant dragon or snake. The bamboo framing and fabric scales are lined with effervescent LED strip lights, which make the whole thing sparkle. A DMX LED lighting system also allows the entire orb to change color and display patterns in time to the music or performances happening nearby.

LED strip lights

An added bonus is that all of the materials used to make Golden Moon will be reused, recycled or donated back to charity once the installation is dismantled, making it a true Harvest Moon.