‘Northern Lights’ to glow in Bolton one last time as spectacular show returns

The free Put Big Light On festival has dazzled the visitors to Victoria Square and the surrounding area in recent years.

This November Dan Archer’s renowned Borealis exhibit will be localised entirely within Bolton town centre for one last time.

Council cabinet member for culture Cllr Nadeem Ayub said: “Put Big Light On is more than just a festival, it’s a celebration of Bolton’s creativity, resilience, and community spirit.

“We’re proud to welcome world-class artists and local talent to light up our town and bring people together in a truly magical way.

Beacon of Hope(Image: Craig Morrison)

“Visitors can expect a family-friendly event packed full of entertainment and moving light art displays designed to inspire wonder.”

Curated by Things That Go On Things, the Put Big Light On Festival will run from Thursday November 20 to Sunday November 23, between 5pm and 9pm each evening.

Bolton Council says that visitors can expect dazzling light displays, immersive installations, and vibrant street entertainment popping up across the town centre.

The Borealis exhibit featured in the first Put Big Light On Festival in 2023 and attracted over 50,000 visitors.

Borealis recreates one of Planet Earth’s most incredible natural phenomena, the Northern Lights.

As beams of light travel through particle clouds, visitors can look up to see the show above their heads.

Submergence(Image: Rikard Osterlund)

The particle clouds are moved by wind, over which there is no control, meaning visitors will never see the same pattern twice.

This year’s artwork line-up also includes Mars by Luke Jerram, a six-metre diameter sculpture featuring high-resolution NASA imagery of the Martian surface at the Central Library.

There will also be Submergence by Squidsoup a walkthrough experience with thousands of suspended lights creating an immersive sense of movement on Newport Street.

At the Octagon Theatre will be Wave by Are You Playing Out.

This is a newly commissioned piece for Bolton combining painting, sculpture, projection mapping, and soundscapes inspired by Bolton’s urban and natural textures.

The Garden by Ant Dickinson will be an interactive projection where visitors use their mobile devices to control insects and butterflies across the architecture of Le Mans Crescent.

Mars(Image: Luke Jerram)

Cheadle Square will feature Celestial Carousel by Eye of Newt which will let visitors chooses an enchanted creature and explore a starlit garden guided by a magical pony.

Also featuring will be  Beacon of Hope by Craig Morrison, a timber dome and vertical beam of light create a radiant call across the night sky.

Elsewhere Folk Dance Remixed will be making its Bolton debut by joining forces with Craig Morrison to animate Beacon of Hope through a fusion of Folk and Hip-Hop dance.

The performance will also feature up and coming Bolton rap artist B-Shaf as well as composer/producer Shamschi and local folk and street dance groups

They will weave a message of unity and hope around the Beacon, culminating in a Ceilidh Jam a social dance experience that invites everyone to celebrate together at Elizabeth Park.

Any dancer or musician who would like to be involved can email kerry@folkdanceremixed.com.

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There will also be street activities and entertainment like Barn Own, where visitors can spot the giant owl and its wood spirit companion soaring over Victoria Square.

There is also Lumens where people can find the unusual and exotic alien duo inside Bolton Central Library.

The festival will feature The Astronaut, a four-metre-high astronaut floats just above the audience sparking awe, joy, and imagination.

Finally there will be the Light and Music Trail where people can explore the museum bathed in colour and UV light, accompanied by a specially curated playlist.

Source – INDIA TV