This year’s Light Up Lancaster festival is just a few days away now – a weekend of cultural events across the city taking place on November 4 – 5. Don’t even read this article, just go now and check out the website + brochure with all the events and wonders you can expect – it’s amazing.
OK, for the cynics still here, listen, it will be a magical weekend of illuminations, installations, projections, music and spectacle for all the family, themed around the city’s cultural heritage (pretty loosely in places :-), with a trail of marvels through the city centre on the Friday evening and culminating in the annual fireworks spectacular on Saturday night.
Festival goers are encouraged to enter into the spirit of the festival by dressing up in anything sparkly, glowy and glittery! ‘Bright Sparks Spotters’ will be on hand to spot the best-dressed and award prizes kindly donated by local businesses.
The festival welcomes local, national and international artists including Steve Messam with his stunning installation ‘When the Red Rose’, which has been commissioned by Marketing Lancashire and is being displayed in locations throughout the county before appearing in the atmospheric setting of The Storey Gardens.
Scenocosme, from France, bring us ‘Urban Lights Contacts’, an interactive piece relying on the co-operation of spectators, and a group of Valencian artists return this year to unveil their ‘Falla’, a unique structure based on figures from Lancaster’s history.
That’s just three things. Out of loads. I’m not telling you any more. I’m not even telling you what the picture above is (go fish). Go see.
On Saturday in the day there will be guided walks, workshops, live music in many establishments, tours of the castle and lantern making.
Then in the evening, watch the Lancaster Fireworks Spectacular with an array of amazing fireworks launched from the top of Lancaster Castle, with BBC Radio Lancashire presenters back again this year to broadcast the specially coordinated firework music live from Quay Meadow.
Wristbands to watch the fireworks from Quay Meadow and Giant Axe have now sold out online, but you can just turn up at the other official viewing areas at Williamson Park and Salt Ayre Sports Centre. Anywhere you can see the castle, you’ll be able to see the fireworks. If you tune into Radio Lancashire, you’ll also be able to hear the music (and that’s the only warning you’re going to get).
The free glossy printed programme for the weekend is now available online at www.lightuplancaster.co.uk (where it’s even glossier) or pop in to Lancaster Visitor Information Centre to request your copy.
Brought to you by Lancaster Arts City, Lancaster City Council and Lancaster BID, Light Up Lancaster has been kindly funded and supported by Arts Council England, University of Cumbria, The Duchy of Lancaster, Canal and Rivers Trust, Heritage Lottery Fund, Confucius Institute of Lancaster University, Marketing Lancashire, Lancashire Encounter, Aldcliffe Road Triangle, Lancaster and Morecambe College, BBC Radio Lancashire, Storm Consultancy, Better with Jam and Morecambe and Lancaster Lions.