What's on at the Light Up Wakefield Festival This Weekend?

This November, Wakefield is getting ready to glow. The annual Light Up Wakefield festival is back from Friday, 21 November to Sunday, 23 November, and it’s set to be a brilliant, free event for everyone. Wakefield Council has pulled out all the stops to make this year’s festival bigger and better than ever before, transforming the city into a dazzling playground of light and art. It’s the perfect way for residents and visitors to kick off the festive season and see Wakefield in a whole new light.

The big switch-on and a parade of light

The whole weekend kicks off with a classic festive moment. On Friday, 21 November, everyone should head to the Cathedral Precinct for the Christmas Light Switch On at 5:30 pm. It’s the official start of the city’s festive glow-up. But that’s not all for Friday night. Straight after, at 6 pm, a massive Lantern Parade will begin its journey from Brook Street. This isn’t just a few people with lanterns; it’s a proper spectacle. Imagine huge, majestic puppets gliding through the streets, disco stilt performers towering over the crowds, and the sound of brass bands filling the air. It’s a real community experience, with local people joining in with their own lanterns. The parade will travel down Wood Street for about an hour, ending up in the beautiful Coronation Gardens, creating a moving river of light through the city centre.

Cllr Hannah Appleyard, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport, said:

“We’re so excited that Light Up Wakefield is back this weekend. There’s lots going on and something for everyone to enjoy. So come along and get your festive season started.”

Follow the amazing light trail

The main attraction across the entire weekend is the Light Trail, and this year it’s bigger than ever. Dotted around the Wakefield city centre are incredible light installations, turning familiar streets and buildings into something magical. What makes it extra special is that many of the installations are interactive. This means visitors don’t just look at them; they can become part of the art. Think artworks that change colour when they are touched, or soundscapes that respond to movement. It’s a fantastic experience for all ages and makes for some seriously good photos.

To make sure nobody misses a thing, people can grab a free trail map from the festival’s main hub at WX Wakefield Exchange. For those who prefer to go digital, there’s also a map on the Experience Wakefield website. The trail is the heart of the festival, offering a unique chance to explore the city and enjoy some truly creative light art. This is an experience everyone will want to enjoy.

What's the fringe activity all about?

Alongside the main light trail, loads of local venues across Wakefield are getting involved with what’s called ‘fringe activity’. Basically, it’s a load of extra cool stuff happening to make the festival even better. Think of it as bonus content for the main event.

• The Art House: As well as showing an installation called ‘The Public Dream’, they are running a 'Light Lab'. Here, visitors of all ages can get stuck into free glow-in-the-dark creative activities.
• The Hepworth Wakefield: They’re throwing an Opening Party to launch two new exhibitions. It’s also a chance for a sneak peek at their Festive Market, perfect for anyone looking to get a head start on their Christmas shopping.
• Trinity Walk: For the little ones (and the young at heart), Santa will be in his grotto at Trinity Walk. But keep an eye out for the mischievous ‘Trinch’, who’ll be wandering around causing a bit of harmless mayhem!

This fringe activity means there's always something else to see or do, making the Light Up Wakefield event a full-on cultural experience across the city.

Planning the visit: travel and times

Getting organised for the weekend is simple. The council has made sure that planning a trip into the city centre is as easy as possible. Here are the opening times for the main event:

Day	Date	Time
Friday	21 November	4 pm - 9 pm
Saturday	22 November	5 pm - 9 pm
Sunday	23 November	5 pm - 8 pm

For those driving, there are plenty of car parks in Wakefield city centre. The most convenient for accessible parking are at Trinity Walk Shopping Centre or The Ridings Shopping Centre. Anyone travelling by train is in luck. Wakefield has two city centre stations, with Wakefield Westgate being the closest to the action. And, Northern are offering special £2 train fares for the event, which can be bought on their app or website up to three days before travel. For bus users, the Wakefield Bus Station is just a couple of minutes' walk from the event hub at WX Wakefield Exchange.

Making sure everyone can enjoy the festival

The team at Wakefield Council is passionate about making sure Light Up Wakefield is an event that everyone can enjoy, and they’ve put a lot of thought into accessibility. There will be plenty of staff around in hi-vis jackets to help with any questions. At the WX Wakefield Exchange hub, visitors will find accessible toilets, baby changing facilities, and Changing Places facilities.

For visitors with visual impairments, audio descriptions of some of the sculptural installations will be available via QR codes at each site. Pre-bookable BSL Tours are also available. To make the festival welcoming for more communities, translations of the Light Trail information will be available in Polish and Urdu, and an Easy Read Guide can be found online. The focus on accessibility ensures that every one of the event’s visitors can have a fantastic and comfortable experience enjoying the light installations and fantastic atmosphere across the weekend.