MANILA, Philippines - Christmas is the season of lights in the South as Festival Mall River Park holds The Light of Christmas, a stunning light show running the entire month of December with schedules of every 30 minutes from 6 to 9 p.m. Brilliant lights also illuminate the skies with a fireworks show at 8:30 p.m. on all December weekends.
This year, Santa also comes to the South as Santa’s Corner runs at River Park every weekend until today, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The music of Christmas fills the Festival Mall River Park with Christmas performances by Nyoy Volante on Dec. 26. Quartet Serenata Strings performed last Dec. 23.
With a 2,300-square meter area, River Park marries some of the metro’s most exciting dining concepts with the best of nature. Lush greens, the sound of the flowing river and cool breezes all make for a unique environment as one feasts on delicious food. River Park provides a festive atmosphere for families or groups of friends celebrating the Yuletide season over dinner or drinks.
Families can choose to get comfort food with a twist at Mati’s Meat and Bread, one of the up-and-coming restaurants in the South, as featured in online publications such as Spot.ph, Pepper.ph and When in Manila. Those wanting their Christmas ramen fix can also try out Asahikawa Bangaichi Ramen, one of the few ramen restaurants in the country that features the Asahikawa-style of the dish. Australian down-home style café, Hog’s Breath Café, also finds its home in the South, where families can dine on classics such as steak, burgers and sandwiches.
Filipino classics get a European twist at Market Basket, owned by the Chef’s Quarter Group. Meanwhile, those who prefer to pair their comfort food with drinks can get their fix at Chef’s Barrel.
To end the night, families or groups of friends can have coffee at Starbucks, the second branch in the mall. For those who want a nightcap, Planet Grapes offers fine wines from all over the world. There’s also the selection of drinks mixed with fun entertainment options at Red.
Festival Mall is a premier development in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. It is the only mall with five anchor stores: Shopwise Supercenter, SaveMore, Robinsons Department Store, Ace Hardware and Handyman. It has over 700 shops, a total of 2,300 multilevel parking slots, various food outlets and indoor amusement rides.