This Tuesday, November 5, the city of Lyon presented the program for the 25th edition of the Festival of Lights, which will take place from Thursday, December 5 to Sunday, December 8.
A quarter of a century is worth celebrating! The city of Lyon lifted the veil this Tuesday, November 5, on the programming of the Festival of Lights which takes place this year from Thursday, December 5 to Sunday, December 8.
“It’s a special year since it’s the 25th anniversary so we will have a focus on light artistic creation. It’s very important to have light works, which reflect the city’s commitment to creation. But in these 32 works we also have a nod to the great heritage of the Festival with six anniversary works having received an enthusiastic reception from the public”, explained the mayor of Lyon, Grégory Doucet at the microphone of BFM Lyon.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary, 32 works will be exhibited including notable pieces from previous editions such as the Anookis at the Tête d’or, a snowball I love Lyon by Jacques Rival on Place Bellecour, the little giant in Terreaux or Heaven by Jérôme Donna on the quays.
Investing in new neighborhoods and places
Two new places will be taken over, notably the Auditorium of the Lyon national orchestra where we will find Outsidea work by Nawelle Aineche and Pia Vidal which recycles VHS tapes with a mapping part.
“Through the Auditorium building, a symbol of the brutalist architecture of the 1970s, the entire La Part-Dieu district opens up, through this participation, to an emblematic event of the city of Lyon. The public, whether coming from the offices or the station, will be able to fully benefit from a stopover, attracted by the lights of the installation which will illuminate Place Charles de Gaulle” rejoices Nicolas Drouin, the general director of the Auditorium de the national orchestra of Lyon.
The Henri Malarte automobile museum will also be in the spotlight of the event, as will Le Gros Caillou which will be integrated into the Festival of Lights circuit.
An event within an event at the Garden City
For the first time, two collaborative works, Night Archibelle by the Archicréa studio and BOA by David Guerra, Victor Roux and Delphine Thouilleux, will also settle in the Garden City on the occasion of its centenary.
Around thirty workshops carried out in collaboration with residents made it possible to create part of the planned field of 2,000 luminous flowers and to write a tale which will be offered to the public during storytelling walks.
“We have chosen to directly involve the inhabitants of the Garden City in the creative process so that they themselves become actors in the project. Through participatory workshops and meeting times, we hope that this project will be a reflection of their identity and an opportunity to build links within the community”, motivates Gwendoline Jacquemin, the artistic director.
This year, the charitable sale of lumignons du coeur, on Place Sathonay, will be dedicated to the Alynea 69 association which fights against homelessness and great insecurity.
The candles are sold for 2 euros in the information chalets of the Festival of Lights, at the tourist office, in the official store of the event on Place Bellecourt, at the partner merchants of the Presqu’île as well as on the Place Sathonay site.
Nearly two million visitors expected
Nearly two million visitors are expected during the four days of festivities.
To get to the Festival of Lights, the organization recommends public transport, recalling the free network on Sunday December 8 from 4 p.m. until the end of the service. From December 5 to 7, ticket offers are available: TCL en fête, Family or 24H,…
An accessible Festival of Lights
For the 3rd year, Blandan Park will host a space dedicated to children and in particular a boom of lights with an interactive and luminous course. It will be open every day from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and will also offer reception for children with disabilities.
Disabled reception is reinforced with 1,200 staff and dedicated spaces. People with disabilities are welcomed over the 4 days of the Festival on Place Bellecour and at the entrance to the Parc de la Tête d’Or (Porte des Enfants du Rhône) by a disabled-welcoming team wearing green vests.
Despite this anniversary edition, the city ensures that the budget remains equivalent to last year with around 3.2 million euros, including 1.2 million euros in sponsorship.
Find the full program of the event on the official website.
Romain Ethuin with Florent Bascoul
