Barnsley Bright Nights Festival returns for three day extravaganza
November 4, 2022
THURSDAY 24TH TO SATURDAY 26TH NOVEMBER, 5PM – 8:30PM
BARNSLEY’S CAPTIVATING BRIGHT NIGHTS FESTIVAL RETURNS LATER THIS MONTH WITH THREE NIGHTS OF FREE ILLUMINATING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY TO ENJOY.
The festival kicks off on Thursday 24th November with the Christmas Light Switch-On, which for the first time will be taking place in The Glass Works Square. Featuring fabulous music, two giant LED Christmas trees, pyrotechnics and an outdoor sing-along show from The Lips. (keep scrolling for full details on all the events, installations and performers!)
On Saturday 26th November, The Bright Nights Parade will see a host of community groups journeying from The Civic to The Glass Works Square accompanied by illuminating creations and futuristic robotic drummers. The fantastic finale starts at Mandela Gardens before weaving its way down Eldon Street and Cheapside before reaching The Glass Works Square.
Across all three days, you can experience the Illuminated Light Trail that will be taking place at 10 venues across the town centre. Look out for the illuminated Winter Wonderland Birds, energetic Bouncing Elves, and elegant Light Belles. Please see below for the full list of events, installations and performers.
CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON – THURSDAY 24TH
Light Switch On – Two giant LED Christmas trees along with a whole host of other decorations will be part of the official switch-on in The Glass Works Square. At 6pm Barnsley will be alive with light, music and pyrotechnics.
The Lips – A luminous outdoor singalong show, led by three giant lips, will perform a medley of pop and Christmas hits. The Lips perform at 6pm and 8pm. Click here to see The Lips in action.
Plus seasonal entertainment from Bouncing Elves, Winter Wonderland Birds and Light Belles.
ILLUMINATED PARADE – SATURDAY 26TH
Illuminated Parade – The festive finale will see a colourful illuminated parade running from Mandela Gardens to The Glass Works Square.
Global Grooves robotic drummers, a travelling giant compact disco glitterball and the crazy Granny Turismo Chrismo shopping trolley will be leading the crowds on a tour of the town centre.
LIGHT ART TRAIL – THURSDAY 24th to SATURDAY 26th
Luma at Barnsley College – Come and meet Luma, a 9-metre-long robotic snail who loves an audience! Luma is a joyful, and hopeful work which champions both nature and technology. (Thurs 6:30-8:30pm, Fri + Sat 5-8:30pm)
Brains in a Dish at Cooper Gallery – Discover a series of specially commissioned projections and light-based sculptures. The installations are part of the Brains in a Dish exhibition exploring pioneering dementia research. (Thurs to Sat 5-8:30pm)
Christmas Tree Festival at St Mary’s Church – See the splendid St Mary’s Church filled with twinkling Christmas trees – all beautifully decorated by local schools, charities and community groups from across Barnsley. (Thurs to Saturday 5-8:30pm)
Brick By Brick at Barnsley Museums Gallery @ The Glass Works – Explore the fun Brick by Brick exhibition with Lego designs by 18 artists. Then create a mini stained glass window using transparent Lego that will form part of a large-scale illuminated artwork. (Thurs to Sat 3-8:30pm)
Chromatic Woodland at Barnsley Museums Digital @ The Glass Works – Get hands-on with wildlife with this specifically commissioned and unique 270-degree animated projection, featuring augmented reality and interactive audio. (Thurs to Sat 5-8:30pm)
Neon Whirled at Library @ The Lightbox – Explore a unique interactive installation by renowned land artist James Brunt, featuring a series of intricate neon mandelas artwork. PLUS neon painting and UV-making activities. (Thurs to Sat 5-8:30pm)
Within at Alhambra Shopping Centre – See the famous Barnsley Town Hall come to life…indoors…in colour…in miniature! (Thurs to Sat 8am-8pm)
Plus even more – If all that wasn’t enough there is also The Secret Blues of Eldon Street, DJukebox and Moths at Work to enjoy!
LATE NIGHT SHOPPING – THURSDAY 24th & SATURDAY 26th
If that wasn’t enough excitement, you can also get a head start on your Christmas shopping with late-night shopping at The Glass Works during the Bright Nights. All our stores will be open until 8pm and Thursday 24th and Saturday 26th. PLUS Friday the 25th is Black Friday so there will be loads of great deals to be had while you explore the Light Trail.
TRAVEL IN STYLE – HOW TO GET TO BRIGHT NIGHTS
Whether you are coming by car, bus, train or bike, getting to Barnsley Brights could not be any easier! The Glass Works Square is positioned right in the heart of Barnsley town centre, just a two-minute walk from the bus Interchange, the train station and a number of convenient car parks.
Car – Park for FREE for the whole of Bright Nights at The Glass Works shopper car park! Free after 5pm and free for your first 3 hours on a Saturday means you can enjoy the whole weekend’s festivities without paying a penny for parking. The Glass Works car park can be found at S70 1SF.
With 475 standard bays, 20 parent and child bays, 28 free disabled bays available to Blue Badge holders, and 6EV charging bays, there is more than enough room for everyone’s needs.
Bus – There has never been a better time to travel to The Glass Works Barnsley on the bus thanks to Travel South Yorkshire’s new Mayor’s Fare scheme. Any one-way ride, on any bus or tram, anywhere in South Yorkshire is now capped at £2 for adults and 80p for those under 22.
Train – With Barnsley train station just a two-minute walk away, and fantastic links to neighbouring towns, cities and the wider borough of Barnsley, the train is a brilliant option for travelling to Bright Nights. It even means you can stay out for a few drinks at one of our incredible bars!
Barnsley Bright Nights is now proudly a member of Light Up The North, a network of nine northern light festivals which come together to share their collective expertise to support emerging artists, explore technical innovations, and create aspirational work to deliver a compelling offer for audiences.
