Winter Lights Festival '24
This new event will be an inspiration of light sculptures, projections and lanterns based at the Sensory Garden and Riverside Walkway, the Ham and Sidmouth Wallspace, where the Byes, the River Sid and the sea meet. Celebrating emerging from the dark of winter into the hopeful light of springtime with the theme of sustainability integrated, located in a place designed for sensory experience.
Sidmouth On Sea - SAVE OUR SEAS
This low carbon free community festival will feature a trail of light installations, each an artwork highlighting an aspect of environmental sustainability and made using recycled materials. Each artwork has a narrative to highlight and promote the importance of our unique coastal environment and the importance of stewarding our seas for the future.
The festival is biodiversity friendly with LED lights and taking place during hibernation of bats and other species.
An artist led experience co-created with community groups
The festival will be designed and curated by experienced lighting artist Zac Greening (aka GREENING THE EArtH) who has designed and delivered light festivals from Wincanton to Canary Wharf and his environmental and sustainability focused lighting sculptures are a regular feature at Glastonbury Festival. A range of lighting artists will also create bespoke light installations for the festival and three special installations created by Sidmouth Repair Cafe, Sidmouth College students and Sidmouth School of Art.
A warm welcome awaits
Local residents and visitors are invited to join us and be part of something special with the light sculpture trail taking you from Sidmouth Wallspace to the Coral Reef Garden, to the Sensory Garden for a special display and back to the Fishermen's Yard by the Ham.
The festival will open with a half-term weekend launch on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th February 2024 from 5.30pm - 8pm with local food, drink and bar to take the chill off located at the Fishermen's Yard, the Ham.
The festival will also Switch-On on Thursday 15th, Friday 16th, Saturday 17th February 2024 from 5.30pm - 8pm.
Telephone Box lights and the Christmas Lights Switch On
Taking place on Saturday 18th November, Sidmouth School of Art is supporting this annual event starting at 4.45pm with the Clamship and Lantern parade along Old Fore Street to join the launch of the Christmas festivities.
There will be a chance to win the Golden Ticket, which will give the winner a £100 toy voucher to spend at Gliddons toy shop. The Golden Ticket draw will take place at 5.15pm, with the light switch on following at 5.30pm including two new lighting installations at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Antiquities designed by artists Zac Greening and Rose Adams.
Zac Greening
ArtistZac’s inspiration comes principally from nature – 'the ultimate sculptress'. He finds the sculptural forms created by the sun, moon, waves and trees particularly inspiring as symbols of sustainability. Zac works in a wide range of media from discarded plastic bottles to organic matter. Often these materials are fused together to reinforce the aesthetic or narrative that he’s looking to express.
Christmas Lights at Sidmouth's Market Square
We need your support.
We are committed to ensuring the festival is accessible to all with no cost barriers as part of our bringing the community together aims and our vision to Make Sidmouth the Artwork.
We are actively seeking sponsorship to support the Winter Lights Festival, please do get in touch to Become a partner or fund our work
Sidmouth Town Council
We are grateful to Sidmouth Town Council who are providing a small grant to support the event and who manage the festival site for the benefit of the community.
Visit Sidmouth
We are thankful for the shared support from Visit Sidmouth, helping us to share the invitation to visitors to our beautiful town.
Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce
We are grateful to Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce who are supporting us as a business community for this new event.
Potburys of Sidmouth
We are delighted that Potburys are sponsoring one of the lighting installations, it is important to us to have the support of local businesses.