• Swindon & Wiltshire Culture
• Thursday November 5 2026

Bristol Light Festival unveils 2027 spectacular after £11.49m economic boost

Bristol Light Festival will return in February with giant glowing flowers, an interactive inflatable campfire and a towering illuminated figure, building on an event that delivered an estimated £11.49m boost to the city’s economy this year.

Organised by Bristol BID, the free festival attracted around 200,000 visitors in 2026, with its estimated economic impact rising four per cent on the previous year.

An audience survey found 78 per cent travelled into the city centre specifically for the festival, while more than half bought food or drink.

The seventh edition runs from February 18 to 27, 2027, giving businesses another opportunity to draw customers into the centre during a traditionally quieter trading period. The first artworks announced combine international installations with work by local creative companies.

Bristol BID’s performance report puts average visitor spending at £30.28 and the festival’s return on investment at £25 for every £1 spent. One in ten attendees went shopping, while nine per cent attended a theatre performance or gig.

Vicky Lee, director of place at Bristol BID, said the festival brought hundreds of thousands of people into the centre when additional footfall mattered most.

“From discovering new places and businesses to experiencing extraordinary art in familiar spaces, there’s a real sense of adventure to Bristol Light Festival,” she said.

Leading the new programme is Crocus Field by Jigantics: 100 illuminated flowers, almost two metres tall, which will transform a lawn in Bristol’s Old City as waves of light travel across the installation.

Bristol-based Designs in Air will stage the world premiere of Fired Up, a giant inflatable campfire whose flames glow brighter as visitors interact with it. The company’s previous work has appeared at the 2012 Olympics, Eden Project and major international festivals.

Returning favourite Swing Song will give visitors another chance to create an evolving soundtrack and light display through movement.

Meanwhile, Colossus by Louxor Spectacle will make its UK debut. The monumental illuminated human figure will appear beside one of Bristol’s best-known landmarks – although organisers are keeping its location secret.

Creative director Katherine Jewkes said pairing international artists with Bristol’s creative businesses was central to the festival’s identity.

“That mix is what the festival is about: celebrating the culture, history and creativity that make Bristol what it is, and inviting everyone to get closer, play, and see the city differently after dark,” she said.

Further installations and locations will be announced over the coming months. Admission remains free, with the programme designed to encourage visitors to explore, stay longer and support surrounding businesses.

Image: Jigantics