Lightopia at Heaton Park
Shekina Rose, Families Editor
Lightopia, the award-winning and visually dramatic lantern and light festival, will be lighting up Heaton Park, Manchester this winter, in a fusion of beautiful, light art installations, music, and human interaction to warm up the entire family, taking place from 24 November 2022 to 2 January 2023. This year’s trail follows the story of new beginnings and the circle of life, with a thoroughly festive theme: A Christmas Story by Lightopia.
You’ll be truly illuminated by the unique and interactive light exhibits, as you discover a new fantasy themed magical light trail through the parklands. Along the way, you will see magical, visually striking installations taking a variety of shapes and sizes, expect fairytales, local heroes, animals, glittering, immersive lanterns, vibrant colourful lasers, illuminated trees, an astronomy-themed display and water shows at the lakeside. This year’s highlights include the Phoenix, a five-minute audio-visual display, as well as the Secret Flower Garden, Tranquillity Arch, the shooting stars of the Essence of Light, and of course, the Lakeside Watershow.
This will be a sensory heaven like no other, with not only lights and visuals to astound you, but stunning sounds and melodies as you walk through Musical City, featuring huge musical instruments played by hopping along the keys beneath your feet.
This year, the Lightopia organisers have announced a new ticketing system with new accessible pricing including an off-peak option on selected weekdays, to help families in the face of rising living costs. For more information and to book tickets, go to the website.
