Oxford’s communities bring bright ideas to Christmas Light Festival

Themes for the programme have been inspired by Oxford’s communities and feature a broad range of ideas and creativity that spark the imagination and delight the eye.  

Highlights include:

• an interactive projection in the city centre from the Cultural Programme at University of Oxford, ‘Sagacity, Periodic Table of Emotions’ by Aidan Moesby, where people can log how they’re feeling, and reveal the emotional wellbeing of the city.
• Chandeliers created with a ceramic artist, Wendy Wilbraham, installed in Blackbird Leys, in Blackwell Hall at the Bodleian Libraries and in the new Store hotel, are influenced by the iconic lamppost from the classic tales of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
• The Museum of Oxford’s free Museum Late event, ‘Park Life’, celebrates Oxford’s green spaces and waterways.
• Pegasus theatre hosts a day of free activities, including a walking tour with intrepid explorers from Whatnot Theatre, shadow puppetry workshops with Wild Boor Ideas, the ‘Glow Gallery’ with IF-Oxford Festival of Science and Ideas, open-mic night ‘Queer Voices’ with T(ART), and an exhibition of art and poetry.
• At Barton, Dancin’ Oxford Dancer in Residence Jane Castree, leads ‘Creation Avatar’ where young people explore movement, costume, art, lights and sound to create their own avatar, plus interactive sound performances with OCM musicians.
• Our youngest residents will need to be up early on Saturday to be sure to catch Santa who is paying a special visit to the historic Covered Market.

Light parade

Light parades are always a key feature of the festival and a point of congregation and celebration for communities. The West Oxford Light Festival (WOLF) will feature lanterns of creatures that move slowly, as well as illuminated trees and fire juggling plus a specially composed song ‘Sweet Botley Road’. The OVADA gallery combines the Christmas Lights with Diwali for ‘Diwali Glow’ using diya lights in a parade as well as decoration and ceremony at the gallery. At Rose Hill, Film Oxford, with the Rose Hill Junior Youth Club and Low Carbon Oxford, are going big with elephant lanterns and a parade that is forest themed plus fun workshops including green-screen filming of riding the elephants. 

“Oxford’s Christmas Light Festival is a brilliant reflection of what makes our city so special—creativity, community, and collaboration. From the large-scale art installations to a child’s hand-made lantern, everything adds to create a spirit of being together and sharing special moments. There’s so much to try out, to see and to explore. Well done to everyone involved and I encourage everyone to join in the festivities and celebrate with us.” 

 Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Oxford City Council Cabinet Member for Business, Culture and Inclusive Economy

In the weeks before the festival opens there are opportunities to get involved through workshops in lantern and light display making. Starting from 9th October, Film Oxford are hosting lantern making sessions in Rose Hill and IF Oxford Festival of Science and Ideas present their online Glow Your Own LED display coding sessions.

Get involved

There’s still time to be part of the festival programme - if your group wish to offer activities over the festival weekend, please use the ‘contact us’ link on the festival website by 28 October 2024.  

Anyone can be part of the festival. Decorate your home with lights or window displays, get together with neighbours and be part of a local light trail. You can register your street on the festival website to appear on the map of events and trails taking place over the weekend.  

Events, workshops, trails and activities are being added to the programme during the next few weeks.