Plans submitted for Sunderland's Festival of Light 2024
Plans to hold Sunderland’s Festival of Light in Mowbray Park for the second year running have been revealed.
The iconic event, which was traditionally staged in Roker Park, recently moved to the Grade II-listed Mowbray Park in Sunderland city centre.
City leaders had previously held the event in Mowbray Park in 2019, transforming the space into a winter wonderland featuring lights, music and special characters.
Last year’s (2023) Festival of Light saw thousands of people visit the park and its dazzling displays during the dark nights, including the ‘fairy glade’ which saw part of the park transformed with thousands of colour-changing optic lights.
The event also featured a film projected onto the rear of Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, along with carnival rides and food and drink vendors.
Sunderland City Council has now submitted an application to its own planning department seeking permission for a temporary change of use of Mowbray Park to hold the festival again.
The council has confirmed that Festival of Light 2024 will begin on October 25 and runs through until November 24.
The festival dates would include half-term (October 28 to November 2) but would not include Remembrance Sunday.
A design, access and planning statement from the council notes the festival will “include a number of lighting features which will be situated throughout the park”, along with “children’s rides, food and drink and music performers”.
A submitted layout plan confirms the festival will include a ‘selfie lane’ with large light installations, as well as the return of a light tunnel, lights in the previous fairy glade area and a projection onto the Winter Gardens, as well as a ‘giant glitter ball’ at the park’s bandstand, UV art work, interactive light installations, a silent disco, carnival rides and a ‘food, drink and music village’.
Planning permission is needed before the festival can take place and the council has to consider heritage impacts on the listed park.
A heritage statement submitted to council planners noted the festival had been designed to “minimise the harm on the park, with no need for permanent interventions such as concrete pads or new lighting columns needed”.
In addition, the council stated “installations are not being attached to any of the listed structures within the park” and that “any damage or wear to the greenspaces will be reinstated or allowed to recover after the event”.
The heritage statement adds: “The proposed illuminations will only enhance the user experience of the park and continue its legacy to the people of Sunderland, being an important greenspace within a busy city centre setting.
“As such it is considered to accord with the previously identified policies and will enhance the understanding and significance of the park to the people of Sunderland”.
Planning documents state “maximum attendance will be 8,000 visitors per evening, and attendance will be ticketed, with three to four time slots per hour to limit the numbers of people in the park at any one time”.
When the event is in operation, the park will be closed to the general public who have not purchased a ticket.
A decision on the planning application for the Festival of Light is expected to be made in coming weeks.
More information about the event and ticketing is expected to be publicised by Sunderland City Council and tickets can normally be purchased via its website.
Councillor Beth Jones, cabinet member for communities, culture and tourism at Sunderland City Council, said further festival details will be announced soon.
She added: “The Festival of Light has always been one of our best loved events and we can’t wait to share more details about our exciting plans for this year’s event in the coming weeks.
“Last year’s festival was a real show stopper with its stunning fairy glade, light projection and selfie lane.
“This year’s promises to be just as exciting with a mix of sparking new lighting features and old favourites, so it’s definitely worth keeping an eye out for more details coming soon”.