New enchanted light trail to open in Newcastle this November

Arts & Culture

Chloe Holmes

June 7, 2023

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Lighting up the iconic Leazes Park like never before, a brand new immersive light trail is coming to Newcastle city centre this Christmas.

‘Northern Lights Newcastle’ will enthral visitors with a stunning after-dark attraction of immersive visuals, audio and jaw-dropping illuminations in what will become the only light trail in the city.

The breathtaking festival of light in the heart of Newcastle's oldest park includes original audio compositions, dynamic choreography and intelligent design to create a 90-minute magical experience for the whole family to enjoy. The fully accessible, mile-long route will see epic illuminations light up Leazes Park, along with a Christmas Village filled to the brim with delicious festive food and drinks by local artisans.

Opening on November 23, and running for five weeks until January 1, Northern Lights will completely transform Leazes Park in the year of its 150th anniversary, with incredible illuminations set among woodland glades, heritage architecture, statues and the lake at the centre of the park. Welcoming people of all ages, visitors to Northern Lights will experience between 10-12 light attractions, discovered across a mile loop around illuminated parkland, starting and ending at the southern park entrance (via Barrack Road). During the 90-minute event, visitors can also enjoy vintage fairground rides and a variety of festive treats, including mulled wine, hot chocolate, and toasted marshmallows.

Northern Lights is the brainchild of family-owned business ‘From the Fields’—the company behind multi-award-winning Bluedot, Kendal Calling and Christmas at Bute Park. Working in collaboration with Urban Green Newcastle, the light show will be produced by an award-winning combination of local and national talent, including Mandy Lights—based in Blaydon, and Ithaca Studios—creators of headline installations for Kew Gardens, Netflix, and Glastonbury, so expect a host of innovative features and special effects from the UK's leading trail creators!

Ensuring everyone can enjoy the magic of the moment, and be able to take part in the festivities, the whole trail is inclusive and accessible via a flat trail along wheelchair-accessible paths, seating areas and ramp access points. Special provisions will also be in place to reserve Access time slots, where quieter audio and reduced visitor numbers aim to support neuro-divergent visitors. Queue jump wristbands will also be available for those with additional needs.

Roxy Robinson, creative director at From the Fields said "It's fantastic to have the opportunity to launch our incredible light trail in the heart of Newcastle this winter. We have big plans and cannot wait to deliver an experience like no other; one that welcomes everyone to come together and soak up the magic of Christmas through a trail of illuminations and audio, within the beautiful Leazes Park in Newcastle.

We’re proud to have an incredibly experienced and talented team of creators behind Northern Lights, who will help make this an unforgettable experience for all while remaining as inclusive and accessible as possible."

Marian Chapman, enterprise director at Urban Green Newcastle, the charity that manages and cares for Newcastle's parks and allotments, said: "December 2023 marks 150 years since Leazes Park, the city's first public park, opened to the people of Newcastle. Northern Lights will be a spectacular way to commemorate this landmark anniversary and celebrate one of the city's oldest and most treasured green spaces.

Just as people came to Leazes Park 150 years ago to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, Northern Lights will give people a chance to immerse themselves in a magical world of colour, music and illuminations, right in the heart of the city centre."

Northern Lights pledges to power the attraction using generators fuelled by refined vegetable oil (HVO diesel), as well as using use low-power consumption LED units for most of the lighting fixtures.

Early birds can sign up to access a limited early discount of 20% off tickets, plus enter a competition to win a family pass and £50 spending money – www.northernlightsnewcastle.com/signup

Tickets go on sale on July 4 via www.northernlightsnewcastle.com