Birmingham Light Festival

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Wed 19 Feb 2025 - Sat 22 Feb 2025

4 Days of Attractions

A glowing silent disco and musical lantern trail in Birmingham city centre are among the illuminated installations and dazzling events over four days in February. Birmingham Light Festival takes place from February 19 to 22 to suit all ages from family-friendly immersive exhibits to light-themed restaurant and cocktail trails.

More than 50 attractions are set to entertain and there will be 11 art installations switched on between 6pm and 10pm during each night of the festival. A map can be downloaded from the Birmingham Light Festival website here .

They include Floor is LAVA Silent Disco at Centenary Square, pictured below, and the dancing light beams and electronic music for Flux at Snow Hill Square by French design studio Collectif Scale.



The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) and the Canal and River Trust is also teaming up to present Bringing the Light lantern procession along the canals from Roundhouse Birmingham to the CBSO Centre. Light will wind through the city on a heritage narrowboat, accompanied by music from the CBSO Chorus and harp player, Katherine Thomas.

Rail commuters will see Un-Reel Access by Kappa featuring a mysterious glowing locked door at Birmingham's New Street Station, pictured top of the page, while at Hippodrome Square there will be a Peace Poem illuminated by Emergency Exit Arts and glimmering lights overhead by Birmingham Hippodrome's stage door.

Wander over to the Mailbox to find Positive Spin by Liz Harry - an interactive artwork shown below which generates tarot readings, along with animated illustrations of the spinner’s fortunes. Or get a selfie with a glowing Alright Bab! sign in Colmore Square.



St Paul’s Square will be illuminated bright blue with Mycelium Network by Stevie Thompson. As seen below, it uses fibre-optic lighting to recreate the underground fungal networks that help plants grow, celebrating the hidden energy of the earth.

More active events range from an illuminated dog walk Paws of Light in aid of Birmingham Dogs Home, a guided night-time kayak tour Neon Paddle along the city's famous canals for £40 and joggers can take in all the lights during a free Run Of A Kind 5km event.

Adult attractions see neon lights at Snobs and Rosie’s nightclubs, featuring glow bubble machines, UV face painting and games along with a glow-in-the-dark confetti cannon.



Foodies can opt for a Culinary Light Trail at The Mailbox for £48 enjoying light-themed
snacks and cocktails at restaurants Bazar, Indico and The Mayan. Other food and drink offers are at Otto in the Jewellery Quarter, where a three-course dinner by candlelight with a special festival cocktail costs £45 per person.

There will also be light-themed cocktails at Aluna in The Mailbox and Isaac’s Restaurant in The Grand Hotel.

To coincide with the Yonex All England Open, Badminton England will challenge visitors to a game of Night Badminton at Centenary Square using lit-up shuttlecocks, pictured below.



Caroline Davis, Managing Director of Outdoor Places Unusual Spaces (OPUS) and Executive Producer of the Birmingham Light Festival, said: “Across the city centre, our public spaces will come alive with beautiful artwork and fun events for absolutely everyone to enjoy, we can’t wait to watch visitor’s faces light up too."

Alex Nicholson Evans, City Curator, said:“We’re so proud of the way that our city has come together to deliver what is shaping up to be a truly spectacular festival. It’s thanks to our incredible partners, artists, and businesses across Birmingham and beyond, that we have an amazing line-up of artworks and events that will give people so many opportunities to see our city in a different light."

See more details on the full programme at Birmingham Light Festival website . All artworks are fully accessible, with step-free access and an audio description tour running on Thursday evening.

Birmingham Light Festival is supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the city's five business improvement districts of Central BID, Colmore BID, Southside BID, Westside BID and JQ BID.

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