Barnsley's Bright Nights Festival to bring Christmas cheer to South Yorkshire

The South Yorkshire town’s Bright Nights Festival begins tomorrow with the Christmas Lights Switch-On in the Glass Works Square, featuring music and pyrotechnic outdoor singalong.

Visitors should look out for illuminated ‘winter wonderland birds’, energetic ‘bouncing elves, and elegant ‘light belles’ during the festivities.

A giant disco ball sculpture by artist Shaun Colins will also sparkle in the square, reflecting the long history of glass-making in Barnsley.

People can explore the Light Art Trail across multiple venues in the town centre, across all three nights of the festival – including Luma, a giant nine-metre-long robotic snail who will welcome guests at Barnsley College. There’s more to explore at the Cooper Gallery with the Brains in a Dish sculptures and projections aiming to illuminate our understanding of the brain and celebrate recent breakthroughs in the dementia research of Barnsley-born Professor Selina Wray, in collaboration with artist Charlie Murphy.

St Mary’s Church will host a new Christmas Tree Festival, with trees decorated by local schools, charities, and community groups from across Barnsley.

Youngsters can get hands-on to create mini “stained glass” style windows using transparent Lego to form part of a large-scale illuminated artwork at The Glass Works’ dedicated gallery and museum space. At the Library @ the Lightbox, visitors can enjoy the new Neon Whirled installation by artist James Brunt and neon face painting activities.

On Saturday, the Bright Nights Parade will see a host of community groups journey from the Civic to the Glass Works accompanied by futuristic robotic drummers and lit-up creations.

The parade starts at 6pm at Mandela Gardens before heading down Eldon Street and Cheapside before reaching the Glass Works Square for a fun finale, including music from the DJukebox human jukebox.

Coun Robert Frost, Cabinet spokesman for regeneration and culture at Barnsley Council, says: “Barnsley Bright Nights is always a spectacular occasion, and we look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors over the three days. This creative, free festival offers entertainment for all ages and interests.”

Town centre footfall has risen more than 30 per cent over the past three months compared to the same period last year, new data shows, says the council. Coun Frost added: “Barnsley’s reputation as a retail and leisure destination continues to grow, outperforming other comparable towns and cities. If you haven’t visited Barnsley for a while, we’d love to welcome you back during Bright Nights.”

Barnsley Bright Nights is a member of Light Up The North network of festivals.