THIS WAS AMAZING.
Knowing me, all my friends thought this Foresta Lumina thing was going to be some kitchy light installation in a forest, despite my vimeo references and photos (which I'm sure none of them looked at). The entire premise of this roadtrip to Coaticook was for this exhibition: a 2km night hike in a forest illuminated by interactive light installations created by none other than the brilliant minds at Moment Factory. Photos don't do this justice because it was a fully immersive experience, and I don't think I've experienced anything as cool and seamless and well done as this in an outdoor setting. (I'm gushing now, I know)
Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook
We left mid morning to catch the pre-sale tickets so we wouldn't have to wait in line in the evening. As much as I insisted that it was going to sell out, nobody believed me, so when we got there I was heartbroken to find out that the pre-sale tickets had sold out by noon. Despite the disappointment, we could still wait in the regular entry line. So we started at 5pm waiting for the exhibit to open at 8pm. Other, more prepared individuals packed a picnic and lawn chairs.
But man oh man was this wait worth it. Not long after us, the lineup extended a dragon's length and looped about. When we finally arrived at the entrance, we were told there were about two thousand people visiting every night!
Alright, so Foresta Lumina is a night trail split into seven small tales of forest spirits, which you walk through and experience as you venture deeper into the park. The experience is fully immersive, so lights, sensors, sounds and video mapping tools are used to tell the stories and are integrated into a natural forest setting. Despite the invisible technical feat, the place really does feel magical, and everyone who walked through it had a look of wonder and awe on their faces (including us). You really should watch a video here (or below), and the creator's project article here, to understand how fantastic and magical is was.
Foresta Lumina, 2014
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