Light Up Lancaster

Popular family festival Light Up Lancaster is delighted to return for three brilliant nights of creative light art, family fun and exploration on the 5-7 November 2026, thanks to a host of organisations and sponsors. Major funding comes from Lancaster City Council and Arts Council England, with valuable support from a host of other funders committed to ensuring the light art festival is a brilliant experience for audiences. And further support this year is provided by Festival Champions: Hotfoot, a multi award-winning creative agency and English Lakes Hotels, a family-run collection of award-winning hotels. Others who are generously sponsoring the festival include Lancaster University, Lancaster University Confucius Institute, Lancashire County Council, The Duchy of Lancaster, Our Future Coast and Creative Lancashire. Their exceptional support allows the festival to remain free and accessible, while championing the best of regional, national and international light art.

Once again, the festival will welcome incredible installations and interactive artworks to light up the city's historic buildings as well as hands-on activities and plenty of chances to get involved. This year, the festival is encouraging audiences to discover new connections, cross borders and celebrate all the things that bring us together with the theme of 'No Boundaries'.

There will be plenty for families at the new Fun Zones, which will give children and young people the chance to be a part of the art through their input and interaction. To help the festival develop these new zones and bring them to life, you too can support the festival by donating to a Spacehive campaign: https://www.spacehive.com/light-up-lancaster-fun-zones

Plus - the very popular Explore Week will be back for 2026, taking place from the 26 – 30 October (Half Term). Five days of free workshops will offer fun and exciting creative experiences and hands-on activities learning all about light, art and science. The workshops will be located in The Storey and have been coordinated together with the Engagement team at Lancaster University, with support from the University’s Impact Acceleration Account programme.

All the installations are free to view and suitable for families, and they will all be running on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 5pm until 10pm. So pop the dates in your diary and prepare for an illuminating festival as Lancaster lights up the night!

Light Up Lancaster 5-7 November

For more information, please visit lightuplancaster.co.uk.

The workshops will be located in The Storey and have been coordinated together with the Engagement team at Lancaster University, with support from the University’s Impact Acceleration Account funding programme.