Light Night dates changed due to football clash

Light Night in Leeds will now take place on 22 and 23 October

A major event which will see landmark buildings in Leeds illuminated has been moved to avoid a clash with a Premier League game in the city.

Light Night would now take place on 22 and 23 October due to Leeds United's match against West Ham at Elland Road on Friday 24 October, Leeds City Council said.

The volume of people expected to descend on the city for the match and for Light Night, originally due to be held on 23 and 24 October, would have put "massive pressure" on transport links, according to a spokesperson.

"Both these occasions are hugely important for the city in different ways and we want to do everything possible to ensure everyone attending can have the best experience," they said.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council's executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said that if both events had gone ahead at the same time, visitors to Light Night would have been unable to use the Elland Road Park and Ride bus service.

"That's why we have decided to balance the needs of both fans and visitors by bringing Light Night Leeds forward by one day," Arif said.

The change in dates for Light Night would "hopefully ensure a fun and memorable cultural spectacle followed by a successful match day, with Leeds securing all three points", she added.

Leeds Civic Hall is expected to be the backdrop for a new projection featuring books from the British Library's collection

An estimated 210,400 people attended last year's Light Night, which again took place over two days - an increase of 5% over the number attending in 2023.

The council said that this year, under the theme of "landmarks", the festival aimed to draw attention to some of the city's historical civic buildings, modern architecture and public spaces.

Among the spectacles would be The Queens Hotel providing a backdrop for a projection marking 200 years of the modern railway, while Leeds Civic Hall would host an installation created using books from the British Library's collection.

The event, which would include projections, light artworks, performances and interactive pieces, would take place between 18:00 and 22:00 BST on both days, the council said.

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