Lancaster’s Free Winter Light Trail Set to Illuminate City

Lancaster’s yearly festival of lights, Light Up Lancaster, is poised to brighten the city with 18 installations stretching from the castle to the canal. This free three-night arts trail will run from 7 – 9 November, between 17:00 and 22:00 GMT. Established in 2012, the event recorded a record attendance of 72,000 visitors last year. Producer George Harris remarked on the festival’s growing popularity, stating: “The audiences keep growing every year, so we know we’re doing something right.” He also highlighted the inclusion of two new sites this year: “This year we’ve taken in two more locations, one down on Lancaster Canal which we’ve never used before, and one at Aalborg Square,” adding, “So the route will probably take a couple of hours strolling round the town.” Harris explained that the event began as a firework display, but the council sought to offer more to the community. He elaborated: “People just came on a Saturday night for 15 minutes and then disappeared and the city council tried to explore a way of giving people a little bit more.” He concluded by noting: “The initial one was just a few small installations, and now there are no fireworks any more and Light Up Lancaster has become a three-night festival.” The festival is designed as a walking trail, enabling visitors to wander through the city and admire its illuminated landmarks. This year’s theme is The Art of Science, and it will feature British Sign Language guided tours on Saturday evening. There is no fixed route for the trail, which is suitable for children, and a night market will be available, selling food. For additional content, listeners can access the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be sent to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk or via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.