Year of the Horse: Riding high with RWM’s Imperial Festival

MANILA, Philippines - Guests of the country’s first one-stop, nonstop tourism destination for ultimate thrills, Resorts World Manila (RWM), are invited to be among the first to welcome the luck and prosperity of the Lunar New Year via the integrated resort’s Imperial Festival that runs until Feb. 15.

RWM’s annual observance of the Lunar New Year paves the way for a line-up of spectacular events, shows, promos, and other attractions focusing on welcoming the Year of the Horse with well wishes of luck, love, and prosperity for its guests.

Taking off from the culmination of the country’s longest Yuletide celebration, the Grand Fiesta 2013, last December, the Imperial Festival at The Plaza in Newport Mall is a two-week grand variety of Oriental offerings featuring the ceremonial firecracker lighting and Kun Seng Keng lion dance ceremonies, food and fortune-telling booths, a Chinese orchestra, charms, acrobats, geomancers, magic shows, rickshaw photo booths, and much more, virtually turning the plush Newport Mall into an authentic replica of Chinatown.

Until Feb. 13, prosperity trees can be found around RWM where guests can try out their luck and pick numerous surprises, including a peek at their fate via the fortune telling booth; a posterity shot with friends and family at the Imperial Festival photo booth; or a gift certificate to RWM food outlets, courtesy of RWM and Megaworld Corp., all for a minimum single receipt purchase of P2,000 or 18GP. Chinese-themed booths sell traditional items at The Plaza during mall hours.

Firecracker displays are also slated on Feb. 7 and 14 at 11 p.m. Malaysian world champions Kun Seng Keng also reprise their jaw-dropping performance on Feb. 8 and 9, every 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., at The Plaza. Fox Movie Premier also presents “Robocop” on Feb. 5 at the Newport Cinemas for the whole family to enjoy.

Avid shoppers may indulge in great finds with a clearance sale until today. Up to 70 percent discounts are offered in participating establishments all over the Newport Mall, and other Megaworld Lifestyle Malls in Eastwood, Lucky Chinatown in Binondo, Venice Piazza in McKinley Hill, and Burgos Circle in Forbes Town Center.

With all the festivities coinciding with Valentine’s Day, something truly special will also take place at the Newport Performing Arts Theater on Feb. 14. A night of passion is in store as veteran theater actor Leo Valdez shares the stage with the country’s “Pop Diva” Kuh Ledesma for a one-night-only concert dubbed “The King and The Diva: Beyond Classic.”

Tickets to “The King and The Diva: Beyond Classic” are now available at the Resorts World Manila Box Office located near RWM’s Main Casino Entrance. For inquiries, call RWM Box Office at 908-8000 local 7700. For more information on the Imperial Festival, visit www.rwmanila.com or call the tourist/visitor hotline at (632) 836-6333.