Light Night Leeds moves to half term — and stays free
Light Night Leeds 2026 will fill locations across the city centre on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October. The free citywide festival runs from 6pm to 9.30pm on both evenings and is aimed at families and visitors of all ages.
Leeds City Council, which organises and delivers the event, has confirmed that more than 40 artworks will form this year’s programme. Large-scale projections, performances and immersive experiences will transform familiar streets and buildings as part of the Leeds 400 celebrations.
Dates, hours and entry details
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Dates | Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October 2026 |
| Hours | 6pm to 9.30pm on both nights |
| Location | Various locations across Leeds |
| Entry | Free |
| Audience | Families and visitors of all ages |
This is the first time Light Night Leeds has been staged during the October half-term break. The timing places both festival evenings within the school holiday, while the clocks will have gone back during the previous weekend.
Earlier darkness will allow the projections and immersive installations to begin at 6pm alongside the rest of the programme. Visitors will have three and a half hours each evening to experience the citywide displays.
Four centuries of Leeds told through light
The 2026 theme, “A City Speaks…”, connects the festival with Leeds 400, the year-long programme marking four centuries since Leeds received its first Royal Charter from King Charles I on 13 July 1626.
Artists will use light, projection, performance and immersive work to explore the people, places and stories that have shaped Leeds. The programme will look back across the city’s past while also considering its future.
Rather than being confined to a single venue, the festival will place contemporary art within streets and buildings across Leeds. That citywide approach has been central to Light Night since it began transforming familiar locations through art in 2005.
More than 40 artworks will reshape the city
The line-up will feature more than 40 works by artists based in Leeds, elsewhere in the UK and internationally. Individual installations and their locations have not yet been announced.
Light Night Leeds is described by the council as one of the UK’s largest light festivals. The previous edition attracted more than 200,000 visitors across its two nights, giving an indication of the scale of the audience moving around the city during the event.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, said moving the festival into half term should make it easier for more families to attend. She also highlighted its role in making art accessible and presenting Leeds as a cultural destination.
The full route is due at the end of September
The complete programme, including details of individual artworks and their locations, is scheduled to be released at the end of September. Until then, visitors can plan around the confirmed dates, 6pm start and 9.30pm finish.
The announcement does not include transport or accessibility arrangements. Those details should be checked when the full programme is published through the official Light Night Leeds channels.
The festival is funded by Leeds City Council with additional support from Arts Council England, sponsors, trusts and foundations. Its next confirmed milestone is the publication of the full citywide programme at the end of September.
Source: Leeds City Council
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The event dates, operating hours, free entry and programme details were drawn from the published Leeds City Council announcement.
- Matched the two festival dates and daily hours to the council notice.
- Confirmed that entry is free and the event takes place across Leeds.
- Distinguished the confirmed total of more than 40 artworks from programme details still aw...
- Checked that the full programme is scheduled for release at the end of September.
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- 2026-08-17 12:38
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