FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 21
Photo by Dean Moses
Hello Panda Festival debuts at Citi Field this winter
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e fi rst-ever Hello Panda Festival is
coming to Citi Field in December, illuminating
Photo by Dean Moses
A high lantern panda prototype
the holiday season with giant lantern
exhibits, global cuisine by the World’s
Fare and immersive cultural experiences
for all to enjoy.
Details about the spectacular were outlined
during a press conference at Citi
Field on Monday, Sept. 9. Eight life-sized
Hello Panda mascots, each representing
a diff erent attraction to be featured at the
festival, were joined at the announcement
by the China Performing Arts Agency
(CPAA), representatives of Th e World’s
Fare, and the Metropolitan Hospitality at
Citi Field. Th e extravaganza will debut on
Dec. 6 and will run through Jan. 26, 2020.
“Citi Field is a place where people from
all walks of life come together and share
an amazing experience,” said Heather
Collamore, vice president of Metropolitan
Hospitality at Citi Field. “Th e Hello Panda
Festival is a unique event that promotes
cultural exchange while delighting the
child in all of us.”
Produced by CPAA North America,
Th e Hello Panda Festival — the largest
lantern, food and arts extravaganza
in North America — will be the fi rst
of an ongoing holiday tradition at Citi
Field, chosen for its location in the heart
of Queens and its status as an iconic New
York City landmark.
“Hello Panda’s mission is to not only
give New Yorkers and visitors something
they’ve never seen before but also deliver
an experience they can’t fi nd anywhere
else,” said Winston Wang, general manager
of CPAA North America, a leading
producer of arts and entertainment experiences
that promote and celebrate diverse
cultures. “Our festival will off er a variety
of immersive and social media moments
that introduce guests to the artistry of
lantern-making while bringing diff erent
communities through food and culture.”
Utilizing over 10 million lights, Hello
Panda’s 120 massive lantern exhibits —
each handcraft ed and hand painted by
some of the world’s leading lantern artisans
— seamlessly blend tradition, innovation
and creativity. Th e Hello Panda
Festival’s main attractions will be comprised
of six diff erent theme parks: Dream
World, Holiday Wonderland, Discovery
Zone, Interactive Music Zone, Sports
World and Community Interactive Zone.
Over 100-never-before-seen exhibits
will be making their world premiere at
the festival. Highlights will include the
world’s tallest Christmas tree lantern, lifesized
dinosaurs and safari animals, an
enormous fairy tale castle and a 98-footlong
light tunnel.
Visitors can experience a broad range of
cultural arts — both traditional and modern
— through a regular series of live performances,
galleries and a holiday market
across six giant heated tent areas, making
it the warmest outdoor event during the
winter season. Nightly music showcases
will highlight local and international acts
from diff erent genres, including dance,
Latin, pop and hip-hop while a collection
of galleries will feature works of emerging
artists from around the world.
“We will also host the second Global
Modern Star Music Go kids modeling
competition with Modern Star Media and
Brooklyn Fashion Week,” said Chongren
Fan, deputy general manager of CPAA
North America. “Additionally, visitors
will be able to experience paper-cutting,
sugar painting, embroidery, cotton
candy art and more through hands-on
activities.”
Food will also be a prominent feature at
the festival through its partnership with
Th e World’s Fare, organizers of the largest
and most diverse food and drink event in
New York City.
Th e World’s Fare tastemakers will curate
the festival’s tented and heated food pavilion
with 60 vendors representing diff erent
cuisines and cultures, off ering a diverse
selection of global culinary treats.
“Th is is putting Queens on the map.
Th is will be the premiere winter destination
for a borough of over 2.2 million people,
as well as the entire city of New York,”
said Joshua Schneps, CEO of Th e World’s
Fare. “And there’s two things that people
love: they love to spend time with family
and friends and they love to eat, and
that’s where the partnership is formed and
that’s why we’re so excited to be a part of
this. We’re in the most diverse place on
planet earth right here in the middle of
Queens, and this festival embraces it in
every aspect.”
Empanada Papa, Chori Chimi and
Cbao are among the list of food vendors
that will serve its cuisine at the festival.
“Our key empanadas are beef and guindilla
(a Spanish pickled pepper), the
chicken and pork are the top selling ones
in our stores. We do a lot of pop-ups and
catering,” said brother’s Jose Moreira and
Pedro Moreira, of Empanada Papa, established
in 2016. “One of the biggest events
we did was with Josh at the LIC Flea, he
did World’s Fare as well and brought us
along the ride for this one as well. We’re
excited to see a lot of families coming
together to enjoy this moment, not just
Christmas and Hanukkah, but bringing a
nice new experience to New York.”
Tickets for the Hello Panda Festival will
go on sale to the general public beginning
Th ursday, Sept. 12. Ticket prices are $22
to $28 (tax and service fees not included).
For more information, visit www.hellopandafest.
com or follow @hellopandafest
on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
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