Not quite ready to leave your festive bubble? There’s still a couple of chances to wrap up warm, grab a hot chocolate and enjoy a magical festive light experience over the next few weeks. Windsor Great Park Illuminated runs until 9 Jan, with dazzling lights and projections bringing the woodland and water of Windsor Great Park to life. Also running until 9 Jan, take all the family along to Kew Gardens for their 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. Then until 23 Jan you can visit Winter Light at Waddesdon, where the gardens sparkle brightly with spectacular light displays, in partnership with Luminism.
Coming up in January and February…
A spectacular year of events and activities will see Hadrian’s Wall come alive with culture, heritage and art in 2022, as the Hardrian’s Wall 1900 Festival launches on 24 Jan. Coordinated by Hadrian’s Wall Partnership, the year-long festival will include a contemporary artwork that uses the fabric of the landscape to create intrigue and wonder, a Japanese manga series bringing Roman history to life like never before, exhibitions and events for all the family, thought-provoking talks, food festivals, spell binding re-enactments, a Roman themed city of light and travelling Saturnalia celebrations.
A joyous celebration spanning the whole borough will launch Day One of the Lewisham Borough of Culture programme on 28 Jan. Events will be taking place on the hour, every hour across the borough, including live music at transport hubs, creative challenges and workshops, and a mass collective dance moment led by Alleyne Dance and IRIE! Dance theatre.
Street performers, dancers and artists are set to light up the streets of Sutton-in-Ashfield for Light Night Ashfield on 11 and 12 Feb. Look out for giant illuminated walkabout puppets, an eight-metre light-up inflatable snail, spectacular light drummers, UV doodles, a glowing silent disco, an Invisible Man, and much more. Immerse yourself in a breath-taking festival of light at Nature Illuminated in London from 16 Feb. Using technology to bring the four seasons to life, the illuminated nature trail includes immersive soundscapes, mesmerising light displays, and artistic projections
GLOW in the Park will add some sparkle to February as Grove Park in Weston-super-Mare is transformed into a wondrous winter wonderland filled with glittering light installations and activities, running 17-19 Feb in partnership with Culture Weston and Weston Town Council. Also running 17-19 Feb, Love Light Norwich returns with stunning new installations, projections, and performances, for three days of exciting free experiences. Themed around love and belonging, this year’s festival includes The Bicycle Ballet Co, Pif Paf, Tim Davis, Kate Munro, Nick Azidis, Studio Vertigo, Amber Lights, Hamilton Ice Sculptors, Illuminos, Norwich Puppet Theatre, and many more.
Certain Blacks presents Shipbuilding Festival from 18-27 Feb, the final presentation in a year-long programme that has looked at what it means to be British in the 21st Century. The festival will feature Alleyne Dance with A Night’s Game, Richard Stamp with DICK – One Man in 100,000, Abstract Benna EP launch OUT OF DARKNESS, and Black Sheep by Livia Kojo Alour (formally MisSa Blue).
Looking ahead…
Be sure to put these dates in your diaries of outdoor events happening in the spring and summer of 2022:
7 May-29 May Brighton Festival, Brighton
27 May-18 Jun Salisbury International Arts Festival, Salisbury
29 May-12 Jun Bath Fringe Festival, Bath
1 Jul-3 Jul Hat Fair, Winchester
1 Jul-3 Jul Timber, Feanedock, the National Forest, Leicestershire
4 Aug-7 Aug Stockton International Riverside Festival, Stockton
10 Aug-14 Aug Boomtown Fair, Hampshire
18 Aug-21 Aug Green Man Festival, Brecon Beacons, Wales
19 Aug-21 Aug Just So Festival, Rode Hall, Cheshire
26 Aug-10 Sep Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, Greenwich, London
If you have an outdoor festival, event, or performance planned for 2022, please do get in touch and let us know so we can add it to our listings: info@outdoorartsuk.org
