Every three years, a light festival is organized in the Belgian city of Ghent. This tradition has been running since 2011 and has gained many fans. It is a celebration of the city and its popularization after sunset, featuring both national and international artists.
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This year, more than half a million people visited the festival over 4 days. And I have to say for myself that I wouldn't be surprised if there were even more. I've never seen so many people in one place in my life. On the other hand, the city did a great job and it was not such a problem to enjoy it!
https://images.ecency.com/DQmP4b5EhHBTd172KUfTe1Wdz7i8xnSJ4jrxLpG5fTrxxSZ/plan_parcours_1_.webp
(Taken from festival)
The route measured a total of 7.2km and this time path went through the surrounding streets rather than the center, because of the number of people, so there was no risk of clogging anywhere like in previous years. There were 31 productions to see along the route, each very different. Some were nicer and some I guess I just didn't get :)
You could start the journey wherever you wanted, but you only had to go in one direction, because of the arrangement of the works, which you wouldn't otherwise get to if you went the other way.
The first interesting piece for me was the depiction of a head that evolved from nothing to a human head to a robotic head, and there was an emphasis on the evolution of where we can get to. I admit, it was a little scary.
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A few meters away was a street that was depicted with pictures drawn by children for the festival. These pictures were then painted on the houses in the street. Some of the pictures were hilarious and the cuteness of children's imagination knows no end. I liked the fact that the organizers publicized the children's creations!
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For me the oddity that I couldn't quite define were the snowballs in different colors that changed color, it was quite a popular attraction. These were various spheres of different sizes laid variously over the site. On the other hand, I liked it, but as it is for a normal mortal, you can never fully grasp the meaning of a work, at least not me. Judge for yourself:)
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There was also some rather nice graffiti on one of the high-rise buildings along the way. The portrait was painted with a fluorescent paint that glowed beautifully in a certain kind of light.
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For me, one of the best performances was on one of the Ghent bridges, when you watched a show on the river, projected into the scattered water. A truly spectacular sight, however, due to the wind it was sometimes difficult to see perfectly.
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Another interesting part of the festival was in the Baudelohef Park there was a swarm of fireflies , which represented the animal symbol of light, and countless people were stopping and enjoying the view. These were lights that moved back and forth in the wind, creating the same atmosphere as when you meet these insects in nature!
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I chose to start at the docks of Ghent called: the Ghent Dampoort, so I ended my pilgrimage in the industrial port, where the dominant feature is the huge cranes, which was beautifully illuminated during the festival.
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Light festivals are now spreading all over the world and their number is increasing every year, by the fact that it is always held in the beautiful surroundings of a given city, the city gets a unique feel and you see the place in another way.
-----------------All photos mentioned in this story are mine-----------------
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Have a great day and don’t forget to take a walk!
If you are in Belgium in 2027 in January/February, I would recommend attending this festival as it is completely free. Plus, it will allow you to explore the city differently.
Helping with translations: Deepl
Helping with grammar: Grammarly