A large complement of Claypaky lighting fixtures illuminated the Opening Ceremony of the second Junior Pan American Games 2025 in Asuncion, Paraguay.  Lighting Designer Gaspar Potocnik of Cue Uno selected an impressive total of 340 Claypaky fixtures for the event, with a special focus on 84 Sharpy Plus hybrid beams and 40 Midi-B compact moving heads. The rig also featured 162 Mythos 2 and 54 Stormy CC color strobes.  They were provided by Estudio 69 in Paraguay and PRG in Argentina.

The games, which are staged every four years, were held from August 9-23 with young athletes from 41 countries across Latin America participating in 28 sports.  The Opening Ceremony took place in the Estadio Ueno Defensores del Chaco and incorporated artistic performances and tableaux showcasing the nation’s rich Guarani heritage, one of the pillars of Paraguayan culture.  The event highlighted Paraguay’s pride in its indigenous roots and displayed Guarani themes to a wide audience.

“The opening of the 2025 ASU Junior Pan American Games was much more than a formal event: It was a powerful symbolic narrative that connected Paraguayan cultural identity with the energy, dreams and values of youth sports,” notes Ing. Andrei Popow from Claypaky distributor Aulux EAS in Asuncion. 

“The ceremony featured more than 700 fixtures, 20 pieces of laser equipment, 1,200 square meters of LED screens, 25,000 LED bracelets and 1,000 drones,” Popow reports.  The project’s creative and production company was Asuncion-based Xelebra, lead by Nicole Ayala (CEO) and Xenia Kent (COO).

“The lighting design was a clear example of the innovative use of technology to narrate cultural identity.  From the vibrant aesthetic of the visual display to the participatory use of the audience, everything came together to create an exciting and memorable spectacle.  Paraguay managed to position itself as a modern host, capable of producing world-class events.  Claypaky was proud that a wide array of its fixtures played a prominent role in the ceremony.”

Mauricio Brando is Claypaky’s Regional Sales Manager for Latin America.