Harrogate International Festivals has announced a new festival event for 2024.

Launched under the moniker Beam, the light festival will shine a light on the architecture of the town’s buildings and green spaces on 15 and 16 March from dusk until 10pm each evening.

Whilst the festivals have previously staged attractions in the Valley Gardens, notably with Carabosse and most recently with the first large-scale outdoor event after Covid-19 with the Fire and Light Festival, this event is a new project for the arts charity and uses lighting beams and projections to animate famous Harrogate buildings.

The light spectacular will include landmark spaces, Crescent Gardens and the cenotaph will be animated with lights and soundscapes designed to bring the town to life, showcasing artistic illuminations from internationally-renowned artist James Bawn.

The event will be free for the community to enjoy and there are opportunities for the community to participate – people living in the community will be able to create their own lights at home and retailers in the town centre can get involved to enhance the trail.

Visitors can wander and explore the town’s streets to see the light artworks come to life and enjoy Harrogate’s retail and hospitality businesses along the way. Beam will bring light, fun and colour to the town centre to bright up the last of the winter evenings.

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Executive member for culture, arts and housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “Beam demonstrates the importance of free to attend events to animate our communities and ensure access to the arts for the widest possible audiences. Large events like this are an opportunity to celebrate the spaces in which we live, work and enjoy, and Beam is sure to present the town in a new light.”

Beam is presented by Harrogate International Festivals and supported by Future 50, Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) and ourselves.

The BID’s manager, Matthew Chapman, said: “Harrogate BID is thrilled to continue our close partnership with Harrogate International Festivals and Beam will be another fantastic occasion to celebrate this further. With anticipated increased footfall and spend for our members, a new and unique Harrogate experience delivering our objective of a ‘vibrant town’, we cannot wait to see Beam to come to fruition and really put Harrogate on the map.”

The chair of Future 50, Fiona Movley, added: “Harrogate International Festivals Future 50 Appeal was created to ensure the widest possible access to the arts for our community, and to develop artists of the future. We are excited to light up our town and shine a light on the creative talent we have in our region.”

See more information about the Beam event on the Harrogate International Festivals website.