• Swindon & Wiltshire News
• Thursday January 19 2023
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Bristol Light Festival to return to city in February

Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District has announced the return of the award-winning Bristol Light Festival in February.

Last year’s event brought 170,000 visitors to the city to view 14 light installations. The festival provided more than 200 jobs to local industry professionals, and local businesses benefited from an estimated £3.4 million additional revenue across the event.

The festival, which is free to attend, will run between February 3 and 12 from dusk until 10pm at outdoor locations across the city.

Vicky Lee, head of Bristol City Centre BID, said: “Bristol Light Festival demonstrates the importance of free-to-attend events to support city centre businesses encouraging people to spend leisure time in the city during the quieter months.

“The positive impact it has was evident earlier this year with £3.4 million additional revenue in local businesses reported across the 2022 event, providing an economic boost for businesses when they need it most.

“By increasing the length of the event in 2023, we hope to give even more opportunity for visitors to enjoy the city centre and attract visitors from outside of Bristol to come and experience everything the city has to offer.

“The event embodies everything that Bristol represents and showcases it as the vibrant, playful and creative city that we know and love.”

Katherine Jewkes, the festival’s creative director said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have some many incredible artists involved with the 2023 event. It’s a programme that feels really special and is reflective of the city’s creative spirit.

“Each year we want to bring new and exciting artworks to Bristol, creating spaces for people to play, explore and have new experiences. In 2023, visitors can take in each installation across one evening or come across multiple nights and really explore the city.

“We cannot wait to welcome everyone to Bristol Light Festival and once again fill the city with colour and light.”

Among this year’s highlights are Trumpet Flowers (pictured) by Amigo and Amigo, a bunch of super-sized flowers that wll take pride of place at Quakers Friars in Cabot Circus, Beam, a new artwork by PYTCH that will use lasers at Castle Bridge to create an ever-changing light sculpture, and Overheard in Bristol, whose illuminated Bristolian phrases including “Cheers Drive” and last year’s “Alright My Luvver’ make the perfect selfie backdrop.

The festival, which is funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England’s Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets project, with the aim of supporting the recovery of Bristol’s priority high streets, is supported by Redcliffe & Temple BID and Broadmead BID.