Bristol Light Festival illuminated the city from 31 January to 9 February 2025. For ten dazzling nights, the city came alive through light, fun, and colour, transforming nine city centre locations across this otherwise dark time of year. From a giant heart-shaped disco ball to a flock of 1,000 flamingos, 2025’s edition featured ten immersive artworks, including an enchanting world premiere of The Whilers and a captivating European premiere of Tetra.
Take a look back at our festival highlights and relive the magic!
Anthems: Volume One by Marcus Lyall & Run Collective
Taking over a shop in Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Anthems: Volume One paid tribute to Bristol’s iconic Drum & Bass legacy. Created by International renowned artist Marcus Lyall, with a soundtrack compiled by Bristol DnB Collective, RUN, Anthems fused choreographed laser animation and a high-quality sound system to create an unforgettable synaesthetic experience.
Bristol Is Always A Good Idea by Real Hackney Dave
After its 2024 festival debut and a busy summer of touring the city, ‘Bristol Is Always A Good Idea’ made a welcome return for 2025 at our festival hub in Queen Square. Best known for his eye-catching art which combines the visual and verbal language of advertising and propaganda, this installation is inspired by the iconic Good Idea print series by Dave Buonaguidi, AKA Real Hackney Dave. You can still catch ‘Bristol Is Always A Good Idea’ at locations across Bristol. Visit the Bristol City Centre BID Instagram for the latest updates.
C-Scales by Bruce Munro Studio
Originally created for and inspired by Sydney Harbour, C-Scales was reimagined for Bristol Light Festival 2025. Featuring more than 1,800 reused CDs and DVDs suspended over Left Handed Giant Brewpub, the installation featured an array of animations that painted crowds and nearby surroundings with shimmering threads of light.
Our Beating Heart by Studio Vertigo
Bringing the mirror ball to a grand scale, Our Beating Heart was inspired by the idea of shared love and togetherness which transformed the gardens of St Stephen’s Church. Made up of more than 11,000 mirrored tiles and set to a soundtrack of iconic dance hits, Our Beating Heart painted the churchyard in dapples of light.
Parallels by Architecture Social Club
Temple Church was home to Parallels, an immersive installation that used the precision of lasers and mirrors to transform moving footage into abstractions of light. Set to a soundtrack by Max Cooper and inspired by the movements and tones found in the natural world, Parallels offered a captivating experience for all.
Ramandu’s Table by Bruce Munro Studio
City Hall was transformed into a stunning spectacle featuring a flock of 1,000 flamingos, glowing in a palette of dawn-inspired hues. Drawing inspiration from Don Featherstone, the creator of the original plastic pink flamingo, and C.S. Lewis’ literature, Ramandu’s Table reimagined nature in a whole new light. This installation serves as a response to the global dependence on single-use plastics and their detrimental effects on waterways and oceans.
Somnius by Illumaphonium
Following a dazzling debut at Bristol Light Festival in 2023 with their double offering of Continuum and Halo, Illumaphonium returned with the latest artwork, Somnius, brightening up the Amphitheatre. Somnius delighted audiences with a cosmic blend of light and sound, made up of over three quarters of a million pixels. Somnius responded to every movement as audiences gathered underneath, immersing onlookers in a playful environment.
Swing Song by Bristol Light Festival
After making its festival debut in 2022, Swing Song returned for its fourth year with a whole new look! Revamped for a bigger and brighter experience, Swing Song lit up Queen Square with six interactive swings, each controlling a different musical element. Swing low for ambient beats, or high for a crescendo.
Tetra by Ottomata
Tetra made its European premiere in Broadmead with an audio-visual experience that invited audiences to shape its visuals and sounds through full-body interaction. Inspired by the cosmos and forces of nature, Tetra invited spectators to touch, play, and dynamically transform the artwork.
The Whilers by Air Giants
Making their world premiere in the beautiful surroundings of St Mary Redcliffe churchyard, The Whilers are otherworldly creatures who stopped briefly in Bristol on their journey into the unknown! The Whilers charmed crowds as they interacted with each other and passersby, using non-verbal sounds and language to communicate. This artwork explored connection and companionship through a pneumatically controlled robotic creation.