Festival of Light set to dazzle Mowbray Park this autumn

The ever popular Festival of Light is returning to Mowbray Park in October.

Online tickets for the event, which begins on Friday 25 October and runs through until Sunday 24 November, are now on sale. See: www.mysunderland.co.uk/fol

Organisers at Sunderland City Council are working with renowned international artists to create stunning new light projections around the park.

Councillor Beth Jones, Sunderland City Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism, said: "The Festival of Light has long been one of our best loved events and I'm really excited about this year's festival.

"Visitors to last year's event were totally blown away by the stunning fairy glade, it was a real showstopper and this year's festival promises to be just as exciting.

"We're working again with artists to create stunning new light projections around the park with more details of these and other new lighting features being announced in coming weeks.

"Following its popularity last year, the silent disco is returning to this year's event and will be available every night along with children's rides and a great range of food and drink. Visitors can also look forward to old favourites such as the Bridge of Light and Selfie Lane making a return. So all round I think it's going to be brilliant event."

The festival will be open from 4.30pm - 10pm every day during half term Friday 25 October to Sunday 3 November and then 4.40pm to 10pm every Thursday to Sunday until Sunday 24 November, with the exception of Remembrance Sunday on 10 November.

Details of a 'quiet hour' on selected dates for visitors looking for a quieter or calmer experience can be found on the website.

This year's tickets are £5 per ticket, with under 2s continuing to go free and it remains the cheapest best value light show in the North East.

In addition to providing an economic boost for the city centre, holding the Festival of Light in Mowbray Park instead of at the seafront means that more money can be invested in lighting features rather than the traffic management and road closures needed when it was previously held in Roker Park.

The city centre location proved popular with visitors to last year's event with a number saying Mowbray was better due to easier access and parking.

The much-loved Sunderland Illuminations are going ahead as usual, lighting up the night sky along the Roker and Seaburn seafront and will be switched on from Friday 25 October.

To buy tickets for this year's Festival of Light, find out more and see our FAQs on the event visit: www.mysunderland.co.uk/fol

For information on parking: www.sunderland.gov.uk/car-parks