Scarborough Lights Returns for 2024 Festival

Scarborough Lights will illuminate Britain’s first seaside resort once again from tonight, with a dazzling array of light installations, sculptures, and performances

The festival, part of The Scarborough Fair, will run from November 15th to December 22nd, 2024, showcasing both indoor and outdoor works and projections throughout the town.

The festival will launch tonight at St Mary’s Church with "Reflections," a collection of three unique installations centred around contemplation. St Mary's Church, located at the top of Castle Road, offers stunning views of Scarborough's South Bay, and its historic exterior will be illuminated throughout Scarborough Lights. The "Reflections" exhibition will run until December 1st, and will be open from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm on its opening night.

The three installations featured in "Reflections" are:

• "The Tree of Dedications, Reflections and Memories" by Animated Objects: This installation features a softly lit tree reminiscent of Gothic architecture, decorated with stars created by local residents. Each star represents a dedication to, or a memory of, a cherished person or place.
• "Light in Darkness" by Adrian Riley: This meditative and hypnotic piece features glowing neon words that appear and disappear in the darkness, sometimes alone, sometimes forming phrases. Inspired by medieval traditions like Julian of Norwich, the artwork uses a quote from John 1:5 - "the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it" - broken down into individual words and pairs of words that are randomly reordered.
• "Celestial Adventures" by Astro Dog: This interactive exhibition features astrophotography images, timelapse photography videos, and atmospheric sound and lighting. Visitors can enjoy educational astronomy films and experience a virtual tour of the night sky in a 360-degree planetarium dome. The exhibit also includes 3D light box art pieces inspired by Astro Dog's adventures under the stars.

Artist, Adrian Riley, says there is an interesting mix of installations at St Mary's

Lee Threadgold from Animated Objects explains how the tree of dedications will work.

Nicole from Astrodog says they will be displaying a variety of photos and films about the local night sky.

"Reflections" at St Mary’s Church is a "Pay What You Want" event with a suggested donation of £5 per ticket. Tickets are available at https://scarboroughfair.uk/events/reflections-featuring-work-by-adrian-riley-animated-objects-and-astro-dog/

Also launching on November 15th is "The Land We See", an art installation and short film that offers a unique perspective on visual impairment. Created by Scarborough-based artist Sefton Freeman and sound composer Lee Malcolm, in collaboration with Yorkshire Coast Sight Support (YCSS), the installation takes viewers on a visual and sonic journey.

The experience starts at the Dean Road Cemetery entrance on Columbus Ravine at 4 pm daily and continues to the YCSS building on 181 Dean Road. Viewers will walk through illuminated eye elements set in the treeline alongside soundscapes that interpret various visual impairments, including Glaucoma, Cataracts, Tunnel vision, Peripheral & Pinhole Vision, Diabetes-related sight loss, and the hallucinatory images experienced by those with Charles Bonnet Syndrome. At the YCSS building, a specially made short film will be projected, highlighting the impacts of visual impairments, particularly Charles Bonnet Syndrome. "The Land We See" is a free event, there are more details at https://scarboroughfair.uk/events/the-land-we-see/

Also from tonight the dinosaurs on Vernon Road and Aquarium Top Roundabouts will come alive at night as part of Scarborough Lights Dino-bouts. Festival Director - Julian Caddy - says pictures of the dinosaurs taken during the testing phase have already found fans online.

Scarborough Lights is more than just individual installations. The festival's ambition extends across the town for over five weeks. Some of the highlights include:

• Illuminated Buildings: Some of Scarborough's most iconic structures, such as the Spa and the Castle, will be bathed in light throughout the festival.
• Harbour Lights: The boats in the harbour will be lit up every evening, creating a magical coastal scene.
• Extended Christmas Lights: The town's Christmas lights will be expanded, adding to the festive atmosphere.
• Advent Calendar: Residents will participate in an "Advent Calendar" by decorating their homes with lights, turning the entire town into a beacon of light during the winter months.

Julian Caddy says the Lights festival will see more an more events take place over the coming weeks.

Julian hopes the festival will enable people to see Scarborough literally in a different light.

For more information about Scarborough Lights, including tickets for events like "Reflections" at St Mary’s Church and "The Fire Garden" (which begins later in the festival), visit https://scarboroughfair.uk/lights/