December the 8th sees another of the world’s best festivals of light, this time in Lyon. The Fete de Lumiere is a unique and beautiful event, in which the French city known normally for its fine food, is transformed into a dazzling array of light shows and installations all over the city.
The tradition began humbly in 1852, when residents planned to inagurate a statue of the Virgin Mary. A terrible storm then came, and the inaguration had to be postponed. When it finally passed, the residents of Lyon took to the streets with candles and lanterns in an impromptu celebration.
Although the tradition has gone on since then, more recently the event has taken on a modern approach, enlisting the talents of designers, artists and craftsmen to create innovative spectacles with an urban edge.
This year, the 4-day celebration will encompass 50 works, utilizing Lyon’s buildings, streets and open spaces as their canvas for a mesmerising variety of lights – from neon and LCD to candles and fire. Starting at Croix Rousse, viewers can follow the event’s Walking Trail to see 15 of the light displays at the city center, which ends at Place Carnot.
Aside from the celebrations, the festival also acts as a forum for French as well as international governments and groups to and around the world where to discuss the issues of light in urban planning and town dwelling.
[tags]Christmas, Holidays, Lyon, Fete de Lumiere[/tags]