History & Other Events
City of Light Festival
2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
Other light-themed events
Christmas Light Land | WinterLight 2023 | Joy of Light 2020
From experimental lighting to Jyväskylä's biggest cultural event - how the City of Light Festival was born
The City of Light, an urban cultural festival focusing on light, was first organised in 2003 under the name The Light is in Jyväskylä (Valo on Jyväskylässä). At the time, it was Finland's first event focusing on architectural lighting, and was widely known for its professional seminar and experimental lighting.
From 2016 onwards, the event began to focus more and more on temporary light art and side events. However, the professional aspect did not disappear at any point, as highlighting of new lighting projects and the lighting seminar remained an integral part of the festival.
Event History
City of Light 2025
The 2025 festival was three days long, Thu-Sat September 25-27. The number of visitors increased even more, reaching almost 170,000. The festival featured 22 light installations and over 50 side events. The audience's favorites were the water projection Twilight Magic in Mattilanniemi, the swimming whales Cetus seen from Ylistö Bridge, the immersive media artwork Dialogue 2.0 seen in Kirkkopuisto and inside the City Church, and the impressive Connection IV Unknown Senses seen in Tourujoki.
City of Light 2024
The 2024 festival was overshadowed by budget adjustment measures in the city of Jyväskylä, which led to the event being shortened to three days, from Thursday to Saturday, September 26–28. Despite this, the event drew an impressive 150,000 visitors. The program featured 18 light installations and over 40 side events. The audience favorites included the performances of the DUNDU Giant of Light at Ruusupuisto Square, the interactive "Stem" on the City Church wall, the "Translucens" water projection at Tourujoki, and the striking "Connection II Particle X" on the University's Ylistö campus.
City of Light 2023
In 2023, the festival lasted 10 days, from September 28 to October 7. The festival attracted over 170,000 visitors and, according to an economic study, brought 7.3 million euros in tourism revenue to the city. The event featured 26 light art installations and special lighting sites, with some of the most popular including the "Connection" installation at Tourujoki, the Amnesia laser installation in Kangas, the Physarum piece on the facade of the City Church, the Tree's Heartbeat in Lounaispuisto, and the delicate "Fragments of Reality" on the Ylistö Bridge.
City of Light 2022
In 2022, the event was held for the second time over ten nights from 29 September to 8 October. Over the event, more than 150 000 visitors came to admire the light art, and during the first three nights, a total of 25 000 Linkki bus rides were made free of charge. The most popular installations were the Dancing Waters light spectacle in Ylistö, the Park of Light in Church Park and the Flower Forest in Kangas. The Water Bear sculpture in the Lounaispuisto park also received a lot of love from the public. The event also included the first live streaming event on Friday and Saturday evenings on 30 September and 1 October.
City of Light 2021
In 2021, the City of Light event took place over an extended period from 23 September to 2 October, and guests of the World Rally Championship held at the same time were also able to enjoy light art. In its 15th year, the event featured around 100 light artworks and a light-themed side programmes and attracted a record-breaking 150 000 visitors. Light artists from five different countries took part in the event.
City of Light 2019
At the 14th City of Light event, there were 87 temporary lightworks or side events. The event set a new attendance record with over 130 000 visitors over three nights. Jyväskylä Region Public Transport offered free rides on the nights of the event - with more than 40 000 journeys recorded.
More than 60 partners and artists, 10 of them from abroad, were involved in the light art and side programmes. One of the most memorable works was Amanda Parer's MAN sculpture, which stood in Lutakko Square. In the Church Park, visitors were mesmerized by the Enchanted Park – a UV installation by the Flowers of Life art collective.
City of Light 2018
In 2018, the event included more than 60 temporary light works and side events. In addition to Finnish artists, 12 foreign artists from five different countries were involved in the light installations. Around 50 partners, or almost 600 people, were involved in the planning and implementation of the side events.
The highlights included the spectacular Red Elephant recycle artwork by artist BIBI on the Compass square and the Secret Garden by seven artists in the Church Park. The event attracted a staggering 109 000 visitors over three nights, and Jyväskylä Region Public Transport offered 36 000 free journeys during the event nights.
According to a visitor survey (approx. 300) conducted by the Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences, in response to the statement "It is important that my everyday environment is beautifully lit in the dark", the replies were:
- Strongly agree and agree 92.2%,
- Disagree 2.3%,
- Don't know 5.5%.
City of Light 2017
The 2017 event included more than 50 temporary light shows and side events. The largest UV light art installation so far in Finland was seen in the Church Park, with artists including Annie Mitchell (USA), Kasia Malejka and Joachim Slugocki (Poland), Alexander Reichstein (Russia) and the Flowers of Life light art collective (Finland).
The event attracted 100 000 visitors over three evenings, and the Jyväskylä Region Public Transport system offered 32 000 free journeys during the nights of the event. The event saw the launch of the new permanent, dynamic lighting on the Ylistö Bridge, which immediately took its place as one of Jyväskylä's landmarks.
City of Light 2016
The 2016 event programme included more than 40 temporary light exhibitions and light-themed side events, in which people could learn from and experience light. Around 45 partners, or around 500 people, were involved in the planning and implementation of the side events. In total, more than 7 000 hours of time was spent on light-related projects.
The event attracted around 75 000 visitors over three evenings, and Jyväskylä Region Public Transport provided free rides to 29 000 visitors.
In the Church Park, visitors were amazed by Amanda Parer's (Tasmania) giant bunnies, who had travelled from the world's metropoles to Europe for the first time.
City of Light 2015
In 2015, the Year of Light was celebrated by UNESCO, and every year since then the 16th of May has been known as the International Day of Light. The City of Light event was one of the official events of UNESCO's International Year of Light. The event was therefore also more extensive and international than in previous years.
The programme included more than 40 works or side events, including a seminar celebrating the Year of Light. The church park was packed with people for the award-winning Ave Fenix puppet and fire circus show. The event attracted almost 50 000 visitors.
Other Light-Themed Events
In addition to the City of Light event, other light-themed events are also organized during the dark period. Since 2019, a Christmas Light Land has been built in the Church Park, starting at the end of November. In 2020, the City of Light event, cancelled due to the pandemic, was replaced by Valoiloa (‘Joy of light’), in which various light installations were showcased around the city.
WinterLight
WinterLight was held in Jyväskylä on 18.2.-5.3.2023 for the first time. The event attracted around 15 000 visitors in just over two weeks! The new kind of indoor light art event was organised in cooperation between the City of Light and Jyväskylän Paviljonki fair center, and was sponsored by Keskimaa. The event featured a wide variety of international and domestic light art and light-themed experiences.
Christmas Light Land in the Church Park
The first Christmas Light Land in the Church Park in 2019 was a huge success. At the end of November, large five-metre reindeer and their sleighs arrive in the park with familiar light objects. A four-metre high LED fountain has been installed in the park since 2020. The Christmas atmosphere in the pedestrian precinct is also enhanced by the Christmas star hung above the Kompassi square.
Joy of Light installations, 2020
Ylistö Bridge
Flowers of Life – light art collective carried out the Atom light installation, which was suspended on the Ylistö Bridge. The light installation was compatible with the dynamic lighting programmed on the bridge. The installation was provided by the City of Jyväskylä together with the University of Jyväskylä.
The Old Paper Factory of Kangas
Juhana Moisander's temporary light installation Strike II was displayed on the facade of the old paper factory in the Kangas district. Strike II was a site-specific artwork that reflected the history of the factory building. Human figures from the factory’s past could be seen in the three adjacent windows – the figures looked out at present-day residents and sought contact with them through their gestures.
Taulumäki Church
An experimental and eventful test lighting of the 90-year-old Taulumäki Church facade was presented. The aim was to illuminate the church in an interesting way while also testing new lighting techniques and possibilities.
Event Centre Paviljonki
Artist Jaakko Niemelä’s Model of an Imaginary Structure light installation delighted visitors at Paviljonki Square. The installation combined light, shadow and movement beautifully and cast a large living shadow onto the Paviljonki wall.
Travel Centre
Artist Iikka Hackman’s and photographic artist Niina Vehmas’s collaborative work, the Nytkumuuri2020 mural located within the Travel Centre, was temporarily illuminated. The mosaic-like painting was created in parts during 2020 and formed a diary of the past year. The creators involved city residents in the making of the artwork in many ways.
Shopping Centre Forum
Forum’s light-themed Forum <3 Valo ensemble (November 23–28) featured various attractions, including the Lumen Est Omen photographic exhibition, a lamp flea market and lighting exhibition, as well as the magnificently colourful Kosmos Ball lighting art installation and Labyrinth of Love installation by Riikka Partanen. The Joy of Light was presented in various forms throughout Forum.
Bringing the “Joy of Light” to housing units
City of Light, together with the Culture and Inclusion Services, organized performance art outside seven different housing units while taking the prevailing pandemic situation into account, allowing residents to enjoy art safely.