Light Night Leeds 2023: What to expect as lights festival returns to city with new routes and road closures

Light Night Leeds is always a highlight in the city’s arts calendar and this year will be no exception.

The line-up includes world renowned artists and some local names too, with large-scale light projections and installations scheduled across Leeds, alongside music, dance and street performances.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this year’s festival –

What is it?

Light Night Leeds launched in 2005 and for 19 years has been lighting up the streets of the city with colourful neon artworks. In 2019, it was enjoyed by a reported 150,000 people who visited from across the country for the renowned festival.

When is it happening?

Light Night Leeds will return on October 12 and 13.

What can I expect?

This year’s festival boasts an impressive line-up, with artists including Chila Kumari Burman MBE on board.

She studied at Leeds Polytechnic from 1977 to 1981 and is well-known for her printmaking, as well as a show-stopping work at Tate Britain which saw the outside of the building lit up by her eye-catching neon works in 2021.

But she is just one of the participants in this year’s festival – and there will be special light-themed artworks across nine different zones.

How will I find my way around?

Visitors are invited to create their own routes or follow one of the event’s suggested trails. Alternatively, visitors can hop aboard the free Light Night Rider bus, enjoy the event on a bike or even hail a water taxi.

The Light Night hop-on hop-off bus will run from each stop approximately every 20 minutes, details of which can be found on the event’s travel map. There will be a bus stop at each of the different zones.

An interactive map is available on the festival’s website which shows all the zones and locations of the artworks that will feature over the two nights.

Do I need to book tickets?

All Light Night events are free, but some events need to be booked in advance, details of which can be found on the Light Night website.

Will there be any road closures?

There will be partial closures on the following roads on October 12 and 13 from 6pm until 11.30pm on both nights. Full details of which junctions will be closed are available on the Light Night website.

• Great George Street
• Cookridge Street
• Rossington Street
• Percival Street
• Vernon Street
• St Anne’s Street
• Calverley Street
• Alexander Street
• The Headrow
• Upper Basinghall Street
• Butts Court
• Short Street
• Park Row
• East Parade
• South Parade
• Bedford Street
• Greek Street
• Russel Street
• Bond Street
• Infirmary Street
• Wine Street
• Toronto Street
• Boar Lane
• Bishopsgate Street and Neville Street
• City Square
• Quebec Street
• Bond Street
• Lower Basinghall Street
• Little King Street

And there will be partial closures on the following roads on the same evenings from 6pm until 9.30pm

• Briggate
• Lands Lane
• Albion Street
• Albion Place
• King Edward Street
• Commerical Street
• Kirkgate

Slightly earlier, from 4pm to 5pm on the same days, there will be partial closures on St Paul’s Street and St Paul’s Place. Again, full details of the closed parts of the road can be found on the Light Night website.

How can I take part?

There are a range of activities to get involved in across the city with interactive installations and street art. Those particularly interested can register as a volunteer by filling out a Volunteer Application Form on the Light Night website.