amsterdam
light festival
amsterdam
light festival
LIGHTFESTIVAL
THE LIGHT FESTIVAL IN AMSTERDAM
The Amsterdam Light Festival has been coming back every year for 12 years!
Edition 13 will take place from 28 November 2024 until 19 January 2025. Under the motto “Rituals”, the canals of Amsterdam will once again light up in a fantastic way!
But what exactly is the Festival of Lights in Amsterdam?
Amsterdam light festival
Tickets
Amsterdam Light festival
What to expect?
The Festival of Lights in Amsterdam will take place for the 13th time in 2024/25.
The idea originated in the 1920s in various major European cities. Buildings were specially illuminated at the time. In 1929, the Edison Light Week took place in Holland for the first time!
But the light festival as we know it today dates back to 2009 – during the ‘Christmas Canal Parade’, some artists came up with the idea of making light art a recurring institution. This was followed in 2010 by “Winter Magic Amsterdam”, which still did not correspond to the current concept.
This concept was first realised in 2012/13 with the first official edition of the Light Festival. The idea: residents and visitors can enjoy a route of light art objects on the canals from a boat for 7 weeks.
Along the Amstel and later other canals, you can now marvel at changing installations every year!
WHEN, WHERE, WHAT
BASIC INFORMATION
The details
at a glance
The art
THE LIGHT INSTALLATIONS
Last year, the edition 12 was called “Revealing Art, AI and Tech” and the focus was on the impact of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) on our daily lives. How society is changing as a result of this digital development and where the limits (should) lie.
The year before the theme was “Imagine Beyond” and it was definitely very imaginative.
It took us on a journey into the world of imagination. The idea was to dream along and go beyond the here and now. There were talking lamps and virtual bridges? And water flowing uphill!
We can show you the pictures from previous years! The artworks ran in 2021/22 under the motto ‘Celebrate Light’ and in 2020/21 ‘When Nature Calls’. And celebrate light – they did! Because in times of Covid-19, it wasn’t easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The Festival of Lights also supports and integrates fellow human beings!
The 2021/2022 projects:
On the one hand, 3 Breitner Academy (Amsterdam Academy of Art) students took part in the Lightfestivel.
Around 1000 primary school pupils from all over Amsterdam contributed to a work of art by Studio Toer!
And senior citizens were also able to enjoy a special evening canal cruise for older citizens.
TOURS & CO
BY BOAT OR ON FOOT
Boat tours
There will again be 2 types of boat in use: the closed and heated boat with a glass roof – so that you can see as much as possible and
the open boat – where you should really see everything 😉
The main departure point is Amsterdam Centraal station – but check the individual information of your booking!
The boats depart between 4.30 pm (too early in my opinion) and 9.30 pm.
Canal cruise + tour guide English: 75 minutes, including unlimited drinks (mulled wine) and blankets: EUR 27.50
Canal cruise + English tour guide: 75 minutes: EUR 27.50 – open boat
Walking along the canals
Can be done on your own and with the app.
Official website of the Festival of Lights: amsterdamlightfestival.com/en/
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2022 – 2024