Electric Woods "Spirit of the Orient"

Celebrating Chinese New Year

As darkness falls, Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle of Wight is set to transform into Spirit of the Orient, an award-winning electric woods event, and one of the UK’s biggest festivals celebrating Chinese New Year.

From 6-10pm between 15^th and 23^rd February, a dazzling fusion of sound, colour, illuminations and oriental flavours will mark the global event amid ancient, 88-acre woodlands, capturing the spirit of one of the world’s most popular celebrations. Featuring impressive new light exhibits, a 12-metre long dragon procession, new interactive woodland light shows, traditional lion dances, Chinese street food, entertainment and crafts, the festival marks the year of the Earth Pig and the traditional Chinese concept of ‘Wu Xing’.

Wu Xing light exhibits to Britain’s biggest festival lantern

After dark, a dazzling array of coloured oriental statues, lanterns and lights will bring the woodlands to life. Discover amazing 3D magical water projections that ‘float’ on lakes, Britain’s biggest Chinese festival lantern (made of smaller lanterns) and a new ‘Cascading Bridge’ light exhibit including impressive omni-directional sound, light, projection and pyrotechnics.

Featuring five beautiful colours and sounds, the show mimics the fivefold concept of ‘Wu Xing’ (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) in traditional Chinese culture. Wu Xing is used to explain physical phenomena, from medicine and military strategy to politics and the arts.

Traditional Chinese lion dancing goes digital

Overlooking projections on the woodland ponds, four white lion performers accompanied by a 50-strong pride of digital lions, sound effects and pyrotechnics will take to an LED-lit stage for a spectacular, illuminated dance show. Expertly choreographed, the performances are based on the traditional Chinese lion dance, in which performers mimic a big cat’s movements while dressed as a lion to bring good fortune.