• Swindon & Wiltshire Culture
• Monday February 3 2025
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Is Bristol the UK’s most Instagrammable city? – A review of Bristol Light Festival

Bristol Light Festival gives amateur photographers even more reason to visit the city centre.

Is Bristol the UK’s most Instagrammable city? We think it is. From the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge to the vibrant waterfront of Bristol Harbourside, the charm of Christmas Steps, and the majesty of Ashton Court Estate, there are plenty of opportunities to capture memorable images.

Oh, and with a fair wind, you can throw some hot air balloons into the skyline every summer.

For 10 days a year, the city really ups its Insta-game, bringing international artists and massive light installations to brighten those gloomy February nights.

Now in its fifth year, Bristol Light Festival has delivered once again.

In the past I’ve really enjoyed strolling around the city of my youth, filling my phone with images that – to be honest – never do the works justice.

Photo: Real Hackney Dave’s Bristol Is Always a Good Idea

But this I was joined by an equally enthusiastic amateur photographer – my daughter, who is of the age to have discovered the joys of social media.

Where in the early days of the festival she would pose nicely in front of installations for snaps, but complain if we went too far because her legs were tired, this year we enjoyed a two-hour tromp together around the city – her enthusiasm for the art matched only by the excitement of having school friends react almost instantaneously, and positively, to her posts.

This year’s circuit took us on a route starting at Queen’s Square, where festival favourites Real Hackney Dave’s Bristol Is Always a Good Idea, and Swing Song – illuminated playground swings whose motion controlled the soundtrack – had made a welcome reappearance.

A quick stroll across Pero’s Bridge led us to the Amphitheatre Sominus by Illumaphonium, a suspended installation in which light and sound respond to the movements of the audience – or, perhaps, performers – below. It was fun to participate, while the steps of the amphitheatre offer welcome chance to sit and reflect.

At City Hall a flock of 1,000 plastic flamingoes waded in the moat, with changing lights mimicking the rising and the setting of the sun. Inspired by CS Lewis story, Ramandu’s Table by Bruce Munro is billed as a response to the world’s reliance on single-use plastics and the impact they have on waterways and the ocean. It has annoyed the Daily Mail – which, alone, makes it worth a visit.

Pictured: Ramandu’s Table by Bruce Munro

Our jaunt concluded at St Stephen’s Church, where a giant heart-shaped mirrorball – Our Beating Heart by Studio Vertigo – rotated to a disco soundtrack.

When festival organisers announced the appearance of the piece back in November, Business Biscuit suggested it would be popular with couples looking for memorable selfies. We were right, and I suspect many a social media profile picture now features a significant other and a heart-shaped mirrorball.

In two hours, we covered around half of the trail. Bristol Light Festival is well worth a visit, and worthy of support. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, contributes millions of pounds to the city’s economy, and is great for ‘brand Bristol’.

Organised by Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District in partnership with Redcliffe & Temple BID supported by Broadmead BID, Cabot Circus and Visit Bristol, and curated by Katherine Jewkes, the festival runs until Sunday, February 9.

Pictured below: Amphitheatre Sominus by Illumaphonium