Coming up over the next two weeks…
Lightwaves returns next Friday for a spellbinding 10 days transforming the outdoor spaces at Salford Quays with a trail of illuminated works of art, including Floating Earth by Luke Jerram, Sirens by Davy And Kristin McGuire, Illumaphonium by Michael & Gemma Davis, Moths at Work by Pif-Paf, Youth Culture by Stanza and many more!
Prepare to be swept up in a whimsical world of planets and stars on an enchanting new light trail at Hampton Court Palace, brought to you by the Wild Rumpus team. As dusk falls across the magnificent former royal home, a wonderland of clocks, moons, planets and sundials is waiting to be discovered in Palace of Stardust, opening 8 Dec.
Three nights of illuminating free events, installations and arts activities across Barnsley town centre started yesterday for Barnsley Bright Nights . Highlights to see this weekend include STORM by Vision Mechanics with Cirque Bijou’s LED umbrellas, Mars by Luke Jerram, Surge 360 by Tom Dale Company, Luminous Birds by Kathy Hinde, Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, Sound Intervention’s Projector Bikes, and more!
Tomorrow take all the family along to Light Gardens Lite, a free outdoor evening event in Grimsby, including the amazing Worldbeaters drummers with Spark, Moths At Work by Pif-Paf, and The Lips by Puppets with Guts at Great Grimsby Christmas Market and in St James’ Square. Don’t miss the magical Lantern Parade at Devizes Winter Festival 2021 tonight, and be sure to see Thingumajig Theatre’s Ghost Caribou, Air Giants Triffid and Luma, and the fireworks display. Hartlepool Headland welcomes back the Wintertide Festival this weekend, with live music, performance, the Art Trail, workshops, comedy, the funfair, and more!
Get in the festive spirit as Christmas at Longleat transforms Longleat into a magical land full of festive cheer. Journey through a mesmerising tunnel of light and sound, explore the Wonderland Walk, wander through the Hedge Maze, listen to carols in the Main Square, and experience The Flight Before Christmas with the owls in The Longhouse. Wild Rumpus are once again transforming Chester Zoo into a spectacular wonderland with The Lanterns at Chester Zoo until 23 Dec. Discover incredible spaces, each filled to the brim with colourful lanterns, spectacular costumed characters and Christmas scenes.
Next Saturday head to Bell Square in Hounslow to see Globoscope by Collectif Coin, an immersive work made up of a large number of luminous spheres, using mathematics, sound, and light to represent and transform the space. In Orton Square in Leicester’s Cultural Quarter this weekend see the beautiful light installation Rhizome by artists Tom and Lien Dekyvere. With hundreds of meters of suspended, illuminated rope creating a glowing, interconnected network overhead, you can wander around and bathe in the softly glowing light.
At Norton Priory Museum & Gardens this weekend The Lantern Company and AndNow are bringing you LIGHT! Follow the route into the woods behind the museum to discover a host of wildlife and nature in the form of larger-than-life lanterns. Then head back to see the incredible fire installation, with over 200 flames dancing across the medieval cloister.
Luminate Coombe is open in the historic grounds of Coombe Abbey Park until Christmas Eve, with a spectacular, illuminated light trail with stunning lighting elements and fabulous light play, all set to ambient music. Luminate Wales has also returned to Margam Country Park and Castle with the magical mile long light trail, encapsulating some of the highlights from 2019 along with stunning new elements.
Take all the family along to Kew Gardens for their annual after-dark festivities and winter trail, including sparkling tunnels of light, dancing waterside reflections, and the panoramic Palm House light display, featuring Amelia Kosminsky, NOVAK, Mandylights, and Ithaca. Christmas magic has also returned to Belton House with Christmas at Belton. Travel along the illuminated trail, pause at mesmerising flickering flames in the fire garden, gaze up at larger-than-life illuminations, and glimpse Father Christmas along the way.
It’s the last weekend of Illuminate Light Festival in Plymouth, with intriguing experiences at Ocean Studios in Royal William Yard and Market Hall in Devonport. Expect illuminating artworks, immersive dome screenings, creative sessions for little ones, the Plymouth Jest Fest, the Light Organ, bioluminescent print workshops, panel discussions, and more. Walk through the beautiful grounds of Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens as they come to life with spellbinding illuminations, large scale projections, music and theatrical performances in Leonardslee Illuminated, running until 22 Dec.
Start your festive season off at Christmas at Cowdray this weekend as they host a unique Christmas light trail in the grounds of the historic country estate in the heart of the South Downs National Park. Inspired by the theme ‘Joy’ the work created by a select band of international artists casts the landscape in a new light, illuminating the parkland. There’s festive delights both night and day at Christmas at Kingston Lacy. Visit by day to see the traditionally decorated house and little ones can get into the seasonal spirit with Percy The Park Keeper on a winter wander trail. Then visit after hours for a brand new, after-dark illuminated trail through festive gardens from 3-5 Dec and 8 Dec-2 Jan.
In Thamesmead tomorrow? From 5pm see Light the Way, an evening light festival featuring beautiful light installations along a walking path from Lesnes Abbey, along Abbey Way to Southmere Lake, finishing at the Lakeside Centre. Local artists taking part include Miyuki Kasahara, Jackson Payne, Nathalie Coste, Debo Adegoke, Alex Tuckwood and Lisa Cheung, and be sure to check out Emergency Exit Arts’ The Hourglass.
Stellar Project’s family friendly light trail of beautiful artworks comes to Stewart Park, Middlesbrough with music, performance, and storytelling next weekend. Themed around ‘A Stellar Rainbow’, this year’s Nightfall Festival includes Submergence by Squidsoup, The Night Garden by Stellar Projects, Harmonic Portal by Chris Plant, End Over End by Studio Vertigo, and Shadowdance by Impossible Arts.
The award winning Lightopia Festival has returned to London, to the historic Crystal Palace Park. Promising to be London’s finest festival of lights this Christmas, see the Palace reborn in light, alongside incredible installations. Lightopia Festival is also back in Manchester and ready to light up Heaton Park brighter than ever. Embark on a magical journey through the new Fantasy themed light trail, showcasing bright immersive installations, colourful lasers, and water shows. Then tomorrow, for the first time, Lightopia Festival is opening its doors to Alton Towers Resort, with brand new installations and interactive experiences.
Head along to Christmas at Bedgebury this weekend where over a million lights, twinkling reflections and seasonal sounds will fill the air with festive fun, in an after-dark illuminated winter woodland walk. Christmas at Dunham Massey also runs this weekend, with an illuminated trail through gardens full of lights, lasers, and illuminations. For two magical festive experiences head to Christmas at Blenheim Palace, running until 3 Jan; enjoy the after dark illuminated trail in The Great Outdoors and the story of The Nutcracker re-imagined inside the Palace.
All weekend you can see Luke Jerram’s Floating Earth at Pennington Flash, a 10m diameter replica of planet Earth, projected with imagery taken directly from NASA. Go on a journey of light and sound in the historic gardens at Stockwood Discovery Centre for Stockwood Illuminated and weave your way on a self-guided trail through the illuminated pathways, set against the backdrop of the lush greenery from 3-23 Dec.
Ready for an adventure? Join Beacons: The Quest to reunite the Sea Gooseberries and reveal their message, in a new community adventure and live event taking place across Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh in Nov and Dec. Get a map, go out and about and collect the Sea Gooseberries song fragments at 50 locations in shops, cafes, parks and open spaces, then attend The Gathering on 19 Dec at Sunny Sands beach, where the ending of the story will be revealed. Created by Alison Neighbour, Emily Peasgood, Tarim, Alistair Harle, and a team of other local creatives.
Starting this evening, the grounds will come alive at Christmas at Trentham with a burst of Christmas magic in a brand new multi-sensory trail mixing light, fire and sound, brought to you by Kilimanjaro. Also beginning this evening is Christmas at Wollaton Hall, with a brand new trail for 2021, transforming the park into a magical wonderland with awe inspiring illuminations.
