Come and play… there will be 12 large-scale installations at the River of Light festival in Liverpool this autumn with the waterfront being turned into a ‘playground’. Tony McDonough

This autumn’s River of Light festival is set to appeal to the inner child of visitors to Liverpool waterfront.

River of Light makes a welcome return from Friday, October 25, to Tuesday, November 5, and this year the trail will feature 12 large-scale installations by some of the best light artists in the world, all inspired by the theme of ‘Play’.

Some of the works will help turn the waterfront into a playground, while others offer a deeper question around play and what it can mean for individuals, communities and the city as a whole. Three of the artworks featuring in the 3km waterfront trail are:

• Piano Walk – a huge floor at the Pier Head with 40 interactive keys and piano hammers that visitors are encouraged to jump on. It has been designed by Australian artists Amigo & Amigo, working with local composer John McHugh.
• Impulse – 15 interactive see-saws will transform the Pier Head through light and sound, providing a playground to delight all ages thanks to French-Canadian artists Lateral Office & CS Design – a production of Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.
• LAPS – coined as an “hourglass from another time” Laps is the brainchild of Quebec artist Oliver Landreville, who has created a giant egg timer which will take over part of The Strand near Salthouse Dock.

Full details of River of Light 2024 will be announced in September, including details of extended quiet hour times to make the event even more accessible to visitors with additional needs.

This year’s instalment follows on from 2023’s success which welcomed around 140,000 people across its 10-night run, and brought in more than £6.5mto the local economy. 

The 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.

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “We all love something to look forward to, so we’re making our River of Light announcement earlier than usual to allow people to get the dates in the diary.

“The event has grown in popularity year-on-year, with each event shaping the type of installations we look to include in the next chapter. 

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“This year, we have gone all-out on the theme of ‘Play’ with many large-scale, interactive pieces which we’re sure will be crowd-pleasers.”

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. Avanti is the official travel partner for the event.

To get the latest information visit www.visitliverpool.com/riveroflight or follow @visitliverpool (Twitter, Facebook and TikTok) or @visitliverpool_ (Instagram).