Light Night Leeds is ultimately a celebration of creativity within the City and an opportunity to make it shine.
Large scale projections cover some of Leeds most known buildings for thousands to gaze upon as they walk the streets of the City Centre. From The Queens Hotel, down towards the coach station and all the way back up again to the University of Leeds, the City is lit up with individual and spectacular light shows – whether it’s a huge projection or an impressive sculpture, there’s something to look at on every street. Light Night is a great way to reclaim public spaces and present them in a way people may not have seen before.
The projection on the Civic Hall was not only mesmerising but also put together to celebrate the history of Leeds and allowed everyone watching to dive into its past. From speeches on suffragettes to circuses, there really was something for everyone to tune into, providing a new and enticing form of educating the many watching.
The interactive installations were nothing but captivating, with my favourite being the musically activated luminous spheres that were dotted along the bridge leading to the Junction. This created an atmosphere leaving you wanting to see more of what light night held. Another one to note was the multitude of halo towers that would glow and chime when touched. Based in the Wellington Place zone, these were definitely the centre of attention in that area, leaving everyone fascinated and unable to move onto the next zones.
One thing that was highly noticeable throughout the night was its ability to unite such a wide variety of people. Parents, grandparents, children, young couples, students – they were all there. This in itself was a great representation of the diversity yet inclusivity of Leeds. Light Night draws people from all different avenues into the same place, giving everyone a chance to see the City in a different light. Something as simple as walking through the City becomes a shared experience where enjoyment is encouraged, and creativity is praised.
There was a great selection of food vendors through the City- whether you wanted a Belgian waffle or a Greek gyros, it was up for grabs. Through the wide variety of choices on offer, I opted for a mouthwatering chicken burger from the Neighbourhood Fried Chicken stall. What drew me to this stand was the menu. There was such a great variety of flavourful items to choose from. Served with a smile, this burger was nothing but excellent and I will be visiting this vendor again.
Editor’s Note: It was disappointing not to see co-founder Paul Simon on duty with Andrew Critchett, the pair having spent long hours in Paul’s Potter’s kitchen at Northlight, developing the various fried chicken dishes and toppings.
Nonetheless, Paul’s recipes were going down well in his absence and he’ll no doubt be back soon, bringing more of his creative ideas to the menu.
Their stall is based at The Junction, in the Wellington Place zone, alongside the main bar where you can enjoy an IPA, lager or a soft drink with your meal.
I’d say the range of food choices also adds to the entire experience of the night, with the aroma of freshly cooked food in the air and that festival/funfair feeling when you really just want to try out everything you see.
This annual celebration of unique artistry is definitely not a night you want to miss – it’s a great representation of Leeds as a city, but through a different lens. It demonstrates innovation and transforms the typical urban landscape of Leeds City Centre into a vibrant and intriguing canvas for everyone to enjoy.
Light Night’s last night for this year is tonight – don’t miss it!
Light Night Leeds Friday 25 October 2024 6pm-10pm.
