All you need to know about BD is LIT festival 2025

Monolith, which will be displayed at City Park, is one of the highlights of BD is LIT

Light and sound installations will be displayed across Bradford this weekend for the BD is LIT festival.

The event takes place every two years, with more than 50,000 people attending since the first festival in 2021.

Some of the city's most famous landmarks will be illuminated with artistic designs and performances by both local and international artists will take place.

Here is everything you need to know about what to expect.

When is BD is LIT?

The event will be held on Friday and Saturday from 17:00 GMT.

Most of the illuminations begin at around 18:00, although some have specific performance times.

The majority of displays will finish by 22:00.

Exhibits will be split into three zones across the city

What can we expect?

There will be around 20 exhibits spread across three different zones, according to BD is LIT.

The majority will be held in locations around the city centre, including at Broadway, St George's Hall and the Great Victoria Hotel.

The other two zones are in City Park and Norfolk Gardens.

This year's theme is titled The Colour of Light, with a Bradford Council spokesperson saying it will "light up the city centre streets".

The event coincides with Bradford's year as City of Culture, with four locally funded artists chosen to showcase their work alongside a range of international creators.

What are the main highlights?

A large-scale illumination dedicated to Bradford's textile heritage will be projected on City Hall.

The artwork, called Worstedopolis, has been designed by British artist Ronan Devlin and aims to "connect the city's industrial past with its digital future," according to the event organisers.

The centrepiece at City Park will be Monolith, a large interactive digital screen combining light and sound to "explore our relationship with data".

Elsewhere, St George's Hall will be taken over by a striking 10 metre tall (32ft) bird sculpture entitled Phenix, while there will be several theatrical performances around the city, including colourful street drummers and music.

Street drummers Spark! recently performed at Leeds Light Night and will take part in BD is LIT

Do I need a ticket?

No, all the exhibitions are completely free and in public spaces that everyone can access.

What about travel?

Organisers have encouraged people to use public transport to attend the event as the city centre is expected to be busy.

Bradford Interchange is the nearest train station, as well being the main bus station in the city centre, while Bradford Forster Square train station is also a short walk from most exhibits.

Buses run regularly across West Yorkshire to and from Bradford Interchange, with several final return services running between 11:00 and 00:00.

Full details, including a list of routes and stops, can be found here.

Alternatively, there are several paid car parks around the city centre.

The event, which takes place every two years, has been attended by more than 50,000 visitors since 2021

What will the weather be like?

The weather on Friday is expected to be mild, with temperatures reaching between 10C (50F) and 11C (52F).

There is a chance of showers between 20:00 and 22:00.

On Saturday, it is expected to be drier but chillier, with temperatures between 7C (45F) and 10C (50F).

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