Popular lights event to return after three years

The ‘FierS à Cheval’ spectacular by French street theatre artists, La Compagnie des Quidams, is one of the installations that will be heading for Leicester in March 2025

A free festival with performances and a trail of illuminated installations will return to Leicester for the first time in three years.

More than the 80,000 people attended the Light Up Leicester festival when it was last held in 2022, according to the city council.

The event is now due to to make a return from 12-15 March 2025.

Throughout the four nights, visitors will be able to enjoy a series of activities and performances as well as follow a light trail which will "transform dark winter evenings".

Leicester City Council said the festival promised installations from some of the world's "leading 'light' artists" and that it was commissioning five new works by local artists.

In previous years, a number of installations were placed near the Highcross Shopping Centre, a sponsor of the 2025 festival

Vi Dempster, the authority's assistant city mayor, said the festival would "give a welcome boost to Leicester's night time economy".

The council is also hoping for more people in the city to get involved with the 2025 event, with plans to work with schools and local communities in the run-up to the festival.

Light Up Leicester will be funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England, which awarded the festival a £100,000 grant.

A full programme of events is due to be shared by the council in January, while the closing date for the artist callout is 1 December, the authority said.