Liverpool waterfront will be transformed into an ‘epic night-time playground’ in October when the River of Light festival returns… here is the full programme. Tony McDonough reports

River of Light returns to Liverpool waterfront in October with the full programme now confirmed.

From Friday, October 25, to Tuesday, November 5, night-time Liverpool will be transformed into an “epic night-time playground”. Giant gnomes, a celebration of Diwali and an interactive light battle are among the 12 installations on the 3km trail.

All the installations, which are inspired by the theme of Play, have now been revealed. Trail-goers can expect to enjoy:

• Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos – Mann Island Atrium: Created by British-Sri Lankan artist MURUGIAH, this 3D sculpture stands at nearly two-metres high and is a celebration of Diwali’s Festival of Light featuring bright patterns.
• Illusion Hole – Royal Albert Dock: Inspired by the dynamic movement of light, UxU Studio from Taiwan, has created the illusion of water flowing into a mysterious black hole.
• Positive Spin – Royal Albert Dock: A 5.5m high machine from the collective minds of illustrator Liz Harry and artistic experience creators Invisible Wind Factory.
• Lightbattle III – Royal Albert Dock: This immersive piece celebrates the joy of cycling as participants can hop-on and pedal as fast as they can in a race to intensify the colours around them. It is the brainchild of Dutch creatives VENIVIDMULTIPLEX.
• Firefly Field – Liverpool Parish Church: This installation simulates the movements of fireflies. It is created by Netherlands-based Studio Toer.
• Bunch of Tulips – Liverpool ONE: Hungarian artists, Koros Design Studio literally inflates this iconic flower into epic proportions with an oversized bouquet of tulips.
• Bubblesque – Mann Island Basin: Australian artists Atelier Sisu return to River of Light with giant bubbles floating on water and overflowing onto the land.
• No Place Like Gnome – Derby Square: This invites visitors on a whimsical journey, where each gnome transforms into a charming companion for a photographic exploration of iconic landmarks and hidden treasures. By artists Amigo & Amigo.
• Checkmate – Exchange Flags: Based on the popular board game chess, this 16m-by-16m square chessboard by Amigo & Amigo has been designed to make visitors feel as though they have shrunk amongst the enormous inflatable chess pieces.

These pieces join Piano Walk at Pier Head South, Impulse at Pier Head North and LAPS at The Strand, which were all announced last month.

To mark Diwali, the Festival of Light, on Friday, November 1, Culture Liverpool is working with Liverpool-based Indian arts and culture organisation, Milap to programme activity which will take place near to the Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos installation.

Each night the artworks will be switched on from 5pm to 9pm, with a number of special quiet hour sessions to ensure the event is even more accessible to visitors with additional needs.

Theme of this year’s outdoor trail forms part of Liverpool’s journey to become a recognised UNICEF UK Child Friendly City, where children can uphold their right to play, recreation, rest and leisure.

There will be a series of in-person engagement programmes, which will see some of this year’s artists visit local schools, colleges and community groups to facilitate special workshops, bringing the inner light artist out in the next generation. More details will be announced soon.

River of Light will be part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the lead authority. Royal Albert Dock Liverpool is an official festival partner and Avanti West Coast is the official travel partner for the event.

READ MORE: Liverpool city region tourism worth £6.25bn a year

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Cllr Harry Doyle, said: “This is going to be a stand-out year for River of Light – the variety and creativity of the artworks seems to have been elevated.

“It’s an event that works on so many different levels – it’s incredible to look at and post on social media, it gets people out and about getting those steps in and it’s thought-provoking.”

Click here for the latest updates an information on River of Light 2024.