THE main tourist spots in George Town, Penang, have been transformed into a fairytale land with LED lights and decorations put up at various streets to usher in Chinese New Year.

More than 500 strings of LED lights adorn 30 trees along the Light Street while an additional 100 strings of LED lights will be used to decorate Gurney Drive, Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling (Street of Harmony) and the Chew Jetty.

State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law said the God of Prosperity figurine and love cupids would also be part of the street decorations along walkways of Light Street and Esplanade.

“This year is special as Valentine’s Day falls on the first day of Chinese New Year. We have decorated the streets for couples and family members to experience and enjoy both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day in Penang,” he said during the lighting up of Light Street in George Town on Wednesday.

Law said the LED lights were similar to that of Hong Kong and Singapore’s Christmas lights.

“People usually go to Singapore and Hong Kong to celebrate Christmas and we hope Penang will become a destination for tourists to come and celebrate the Year of Tiger.

“It will be a unique experience to celebrate Chinese New Year in Penang particularly after George Town was accorded the Unesco World Heritage Site status.

“We urge the private sector to also decorate and light up their vicinity,” he said, adding that a series of activities has been lined up throughout the 15-day celebration.

Light street: George Town streets dazzle after dark.

Rows of red lanterns have also been strung across several roads in the George Town inner city heritage enclave where the Penang state-level Chinese New Year Cultural and Heritage Celebration 2010 will be held on Feb 20.

The event’s organising chairman, Loh Boon Huan said they put up 2,500 lanterns in the area by yesterday in time for the lighting-up ceremony by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng tonight.

“We are lighting up the enclave about a week before Chinese New Year to add a festive atmosphere to the area,” said Loh yesterday.

The inner city heritage enclave encompasses Armenian Street, Ah Quee Street, Acheh Street, Cannon Street, Chulia Street, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, Soo Hong Lane and Kampong Kolam.

Organised by the state government, Penang Chinese Clan Council and Clan Associations Youth Committee, the celebration on Feb 20 will be from 3pm until midnight.

Festive mood: Rows of red lanterns hanging across Armenian Street to brighten up the inner city heritage enclave.

Loh said the highlights would include four areas depicting the Chinese traditional virtues of faithfulness, filial piety, etiquette and justice as well as a clan area and a native Chinese area.

There will also be a sampling of traditional Chinese cuisines, an exhibition on the 12 lunar seasonal festivals, and various cultural performances and demonstrations such as traditional games, handicraft, operas, and lion dance and wushu.

Loh said the grand arch, which was still being constructed, would be done in the style of a gateway to a Chinese residence in Penang in the early 1940s in keeping with the theme of Old Penang.

He added that the mascots for the celebration – a pair of tigers – would be introduced this Sunday.

The Star Online

Friday February 5, 2010