From dusk until 10 pm on Friday (Mar 15) and Saturday (Mar 16) Harrogate town centre will light up.
Many landmark spaces, including Crescent Gardens and the cenotaph, will be animated with lights and soundscapes designed by the internationally renowned Leeds-based artist and lighting designer James Bawn.
Visitors can explore the town’s streets and watch the light artworks come to life while taking in the town’s hospitality.
The event, led by the arts charity and supported by Future 50, North Yorkshire Council, Visit North Yorkshire and Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID), is free for everyone.
Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Manager, said: “Harrogate BID are thrilled to continue our close partnership with Harrogate International Festivals and Beam will be another fantastic occasion to celebrate this further. With anticipated increased footfall and spend for our members, a new and unique Harrogate experience delivering our objective of a ‘Vibrant Town’, we cannot wait to see Beam come to fruition and really put Harrogate on the map.”
Business owners in the town and members of the local community are encouraged to get involved by creating their own lights and putting them on display in their windows to enhance the trail.
Beam follows on from the success of several large-scale outdoor events in recent years, including the Fire Garden and the post-covid Fire & Light Festival.
Fiona Movley, Chair of the Future 50 Appeal, welcomed the news as she said: “Harrogate International Festivals Future 50 Appeal was created to ensure the widest possible access to the arts for our community, and to develop artists of the future.
"We are excited to light up our town and shine a light on the creative talent we have in our region,” she said.
1. Library Gardens
Beam will illuminate some of the spa town’s most iconic buildings and green spaces using lighting beams and projections to transform the architecture and landscape. Photo: Charlotte Graham
2. Crescent Gardens in pink
A number of landmark spaces, including Crescent Gardens and the cenotaph, will be animated with lights and soundscapes designed by the internationally renowned Leeds-based artist and lighting designer James Bawn. Photo: Charlotte Graham
3. Cenotaph Field of Light
Visitors can explore the town’s streets and watch the light artworks come to life as Beam brings light, fun and colour to the town centre, brightening up the last of the winter evenings. Photo: Charlotte Graham
4. Cenotaph landscape
Beam follows on from the success of a number of large-scale outdoor events in recent years, including the Fire Garden and the post-covid Fire & Light Festival. Photo: Charlotte Graham