Most festivals take place during spring or summer, when days are long and the sun tends to shine. This is not the case with the Amsterdam Light Festival. As the name suggests, this festival is all about lights. During the dark days of winter, the city gets beautifully decorated with all kinds of art installations that make use of light.
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International festival
The festival has a different theme every year. In the winter of 2017 and 2018 the theme is Existential. The artworks of the 35 creators, including renowned artist Ai Weiwei, all portray the connections between people and the way light can bring us closer together. Check out our Instagram for photo’s of this year.
Amsterdam canals
Amsterdam is famous for its canals and of course they have a prominent role in the Light Festival. The Boulevard of Light for instance, runs from The Munt to the Amstel hotel. The illumination surrounding the water is clearly visible if you walk alongside the quays by foot, or you can enjoy the views from the water taking the Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise. The Illuminade is a different walking tour, taking you from the Muziektheater al the way up to the Maritime museum. Good news: the Amsterdam Light Festival is a free festival!
Amsterdam Light Festival
Throughout the city
In the winter of 2017 – 2018 the Amsterdam Light Festival is held:
November 30th 2017 – January 21st 2018
Themed ‘Existential’
The Amsterdam Light Festival is free of charge.
Click here if you want to tour the light sculptures by boat:
Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise
