The end of the year is synonym to less light and that’s something most of us tend to dread. The shorter days mean that, during the week, the sun’s just up when we set foot in the office and when we leave, it’s already dark. Not exactly an energy boost. Luckily for us though, the end of the year also means there are quite a few Christmas decorations and light festivals which bring quite literally some light in the darkness. If you’ve already been to the light festivals in cities such as Brussels, Antwerp and Bruges, this year, you should be heading to the Belgian city of Mons, situated in Wallonia.
For the first time, the streets of Mons will be lit up during a true light festival called Mons en Lumières, for no less than eight nights in a row. Earlier this year, the city published a call for artists, architects, designers and light engineers, asking for their best ideas, which could be integrated in a light festival centred around sustainability. The call was part of the 2021 – 2027 program of the European Regional Development Fund.
Now, the result is almost ready to be revealed, just in time for the public to be in desperate need for some cheery lights. However, you’ll still have to wait a little before heading to Mons (for the light festival at least), as it will take place from January 25th until January 28th and from February 1st until February 4th.
In total, the parcours will be three kilometres long, assuring you’ll be able to spend at least a whole night at the light festival. Other than sustainability, poetry will be a central theme of the festival, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Surrealism. National and international artists, engineers and architects will show their works side to side, even though the exact program is yet to be announced. If you want to be kept up to date, make sure to check out the Visit Wallonia website.
