Copenhagen Light Festival launches new program in 2025 starting January 31

Friday, January 31, 2025, at 6:00 PM, will mark the official opening of Copenhagen Light Festival 2025. For the three weeks following, over 40 light installations will light up Copenhagen until February 23. Five light installations will however be pre-lit on January 16 giving a sneak peak into the ambience the festival will create.

This year, the Light Festival will bring more light installations to Copenhagen’s waterfronts, including the canals in the city centre and, for the first time, around the Lakes, allowing the works to be mirrored in the water. This will allow visitors to experience the artistic light installations by foot, boat, or on a run.

To broaden the experience for more guests, the Copenhagen Light Festival has expanded to Elsinore this year, inviting visitors to explore more regions. Moreover, this year's route also includes the DR Byen, Ørestad, Refshaleøen, Outer Nørrebro, Frederiksberg and Vestre Cemetery. Different talented artists create the installations, and they are only displayed in outdoor locations.

Copenhagen Light Festival offers guided tours of the installations, which provide background stories and insights behind the artworks. The guided tours last just over an hour and can be experienced both by foot or by one of Strömmas canal tours. The guided tours can be booked through their website.

The installations are free to view for those who prefer to explore the festival at their own pace. The festival app offers an interactive map guiding users to each installation. The app includes different routes for walking, cycling, or other transport options. Visitors can read artistic descriptions, access links to learn more about the artists, participate in photo competitions, and win a hot drink after discovering 10 new installations.

The festival also hosts the Light Run in collaboration with DGI Nordsjælland and brings together over 1000 participants adorned in light chains and creative costumes. Both a short and slightly longer route lead participants along the harbour, passing some of the festival’s installations. This year, the Light Run will take place on Sunday, February 9th, starting in Copenhagen’s city centre. 

Press photos can be downloaded here.

• Copenhagen Light Festival is organized partly by volunteers from the Copenhagen Light Festival Association, a non-profit organization.
• In 2025, the festival will take place officially from January 31 to February 23.
• Five light installations will be pre-lit already from January 16.
• The festival presents a wide range of light-based works, such as sculpture, installation, projection mapping, events, and illumination.
• The artworks are created by both established and upcoming light artists, lighting designers, students and organizations.
• The installations are only located outside and use the city’s different spaces, squares, facades, bridges, and hidden places in new ways.
• In 2025, the festival will, for the first time, expand to the city of Elsinore.
• Copenhagen Light Festival is one of Europe's largest in terms of number of artworks.
• The festival can be experienced on foot, on a run or by boat.
• The festival is free for everyone.