Bristol Light Festival: Everything you need to know

An inflatable cat, ballerina sculptures and musical swings are just some of the immersive installations set to brighten up a city's streets.

The Bristol Light Festival returns for its sixth annual event from Thursday until 28 February, bringing light and colour to the city centre from 17:00 - 21:30 GMT.

According to organisers, the event in 2025 welcomed 200,000 visitors and generated more than £11m of revenue for the city by boosting winter footfall.

Here is everything you need to know to make the most of ten days of immersive displays, crafting workshops and interactive exhibits.

The festival features ten large-scale displays in different locations around the city.

Eleven tiny glowing fairies will be perched within bell jars inside the RWA, while jelly-like creatures will emerge along Finzels Reach, reacting to nearby sound.

Elsewhere, seven illuminated steel sculptures will appear across Royal Fort Gardens, casting the silhouettes of elegant ballerinas across the lawn.

The illuminated swings will return once more - this year next to Circomedia in Portland Square - and a colourful projection will be cast onto the Clockwise Generator Building.

Redcliffe Caves will feature a curtain of rotating tiles, scattering light across the stone walls, while a 10-metre-long robotic cat will curl up beside the water at Cascade Steps.

Two separate exhibits will appear on level seven of Cabot Circus car park - featuring more than 765 mirrored discs and coloured filters - and a cluster of illuminated hot air balloons will land on College Green.

Organisers have provided a programme of bookable performances, workshops and experiences, including circus and flying trapeze sessions in Portland Square, lantern-making workshops at St Georges, photography walks, food and drink events and heritage experiences.

The free, annual event transforms the city centre with light, sound, and interactive installations in a bid to boost tourism and footfall during quieter winter months.

Founded in 2020 by the Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (BID), the festival is curated by multi award-winning creative director Katherine Jewkes.

"This year's programme invites audiences to explore familiar spaces in completely new ways," said Jewkes.

"It's really nice to have a creative offering that is rooted and supported by the businesses in the city centre."

"Each artwork has been carefully curated to offer a different emotional response, whether that's reflection, curiosity or joy," Jewkes added.

The 2026 festival stretches further across the city centre than ever before, with the footprint spanning Broadmead, Redcliffe and Temple, and the wider city centre.

Organisers have also partnered with St Peter's Hospice this year, promoting the charity's message of 'bringing light to lives'.

A special event will be held at Bristol Beacon, with opportunities for visitors to learn more and support its vital work across the city.

Anna Farthing from Bristol BID, said the festival was a "powerful example of how culture can support placemaking and drive real impact for our city centre".

Steve Bluff, chief operating officer at Bristol BID, said: "By coming together as one BID, we're able to deliver an inclusive event that brings creativity and connection right across the city centre.

"We hope that by expanding the footprint of the festival, we encourage people to explore more corners of, and businesses within, the city than ever before," he added.

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