Lights On Stratford: See Stratford in a whole new light
Looking for a getaway to a holiday light show that’s an easy drive from anywhere in Southern Ontario? Pack up the car for a road trip and head to Lights On Stratford! This free winter light festival enters its fifth year for 2024 and brings the entire city together with colourful displays, a festive atmosphere, and collaborations from numerous downtown businesses.
This year’s theme is Reimagine. The fifth annual Lights On Stratford festival runs from December 13, 2024, to January 19, 2025. The displays are active Thursdays through Sundays from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. Here’s a look at what you’ll see when you visit!
(Image credit: photos of Lights On Stratford 2024 have been supplied by Destination Stratford.)
What is Lights On Stratford?
Lights On Stratford is an annual holiday light show held in the city of Stratford, Ontario. It seeks to bring light and colour to the darkest and coldest nights of the year. Market Square, Tom Patterson Island, and other locations throughout downtown Stratford are lit up with displays, many of which change annually.
What’s new for Lights On Stratford 2024?
For 2024, Stratford’s Market Square will host two new light installations during Lights On Stratford. The first is called Emergence. This is the award-winning result of an artistic partnership between United Kingdom artists Harriet Lumby and Alan Hayes. The structure is made from 75 large mirror units arranged into a cylinder with three accessible entryways. Roughly 14,000 LED lights are visible from inside and outside the structure. They change pattern and colour in time with an accompanying audio track.
The second light display in Market Square is called Stargate. It was created by Canadian artist Jay Tettamanti of Chalk River Labs, an Australian creative studio. A 12-foot square surrounds a circular ring, and the entire structure is wrapped in visual effects that can be enjoyed from any angle. Looking for a great selfie? Climb into the central ring and let Stargate provide the lighting!
From Market Square, you can take advantage of the free hop-on hop-off shuttle buses, which depart every 15 minutes. This bus will take you to Tom Patterson Island near Stratford’s iconic Festival Theatre. For 2024, the island has become a Garden of Delight and is home to two more new displays. Trumpet Flowers recalls the charm of vintage gramophones, while Shrooms lets you run through a fanciful field of lit-up mythical mushrooms.
Are there year-round light installations in Stratford?
In Stratford, there are three permanent light installations that remind residents and visitors of the joy of Lights On Stratford all year round.
The Lightwall exhibit is installed on the side of 70 Ontario Street, an iconic building at the end of Downie Street. Talk into the receiver near the corner, and the 25-foot-tall light banners respond with a cascade of colour. At the Destination Stratford Welcome Centre on Downie Street, Everbright is an interactive display that lets you create colourful images, not unlike the Lite-Brite toy from our youths. And new for 2024, the Lightbridge exhibit adds lighting to the William Hutt Bridge, which will remain in place year-round.
What special events are on for Lights On Stratford 2024?
The final weekend of Lights On Stratford is packed with special events. NYX: Electronic Drone Choir, the group that created the soundscape for the Emergence light installation in Market Square, will visit the city for three events. A Stratford Summer Music workshop session with NYX will be held on Friday, January 17, with tickets available here. A concert performance by NYX will be held at Tom Patterson Theatre on Saturday, January 18 at 7:30 PM. Tickets for this performance can be purchased here. On Sunday, January 19, beginning at 6:30 PM, NYX will be in Market Square hosting an interactive experience at Emergence to bring Lights On Stratford to a close.
If you like glow-in-the-dark bowling, you’ll love this: Lights On Stratford features glow-in-the-dark curling for 2024! Glow & Throw curling sessions will be available at the Stratford Country Club’s curling facility, with general and family sessions taking place during the day on Saturdays and Sundays and date night glow curling available on Friday and Saturday evenings. A full-on Glow & Throw bonspiel is scheduled for Saturday, January 18.
Make a day of your visit to Stratford
While the famous theatre productions of the Stratford Festival take a break during the winter months, there’s still plenty to do if you’d like to extend your stay in the city. You can easily fill a day or two by wandering through the many great restaurants, bars and shops in and around Stratford. The Stratford Chocolate Trail, Stratford Bacon & Ale Trail, and Stratford Christmas Trail are available for part or all of Lights On Stratford. With these programs, you purchase tickets at the Welcome Centre at 47 Downie Street and then visit participating local businesses to pick up great treats and gifts. For more information, visit the Destination Stratford website.
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