Amsterdam Light Festival is an annual tradition that lights up the capital during the darkest months of the year. From 28th November until 19th January 2025, the thirteenth edition of this internationally leading light art festival takes place in the heart of the city. The theme is Rituals. With twenty works of art in beautiful, photogenic locations, the festival connects and enriches residents and visitors in the anniversary year of Amsterdam750.
The thirteenth edition of the Amsterdam Light Festival is special because it coincides with the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam. For a whole year, residents, districts, companies, (cultural) institutions and institutes celebrate and commemorate the unique character of the city. And what better way to add sparkle to this festival than with a ritual? With light, with art, with each other. That is why the theme of this festival edition is Rituals . Rituals are connected to transformations: from past to future, to the transition of seasons, to the step from youth to adulthood. Light often plays an important role in this. Fireworks herald the new year, burning candles illuminate religious rituals, midsummer fires welcome the solstice. Light adds something mystical and sacred to a ritual like no other element can. And rituals connect, bring people together.
National and international artists have been inspired by the festival theme. A small selection: the Brit Julian Opie highlights walking as a ritual to clear the head with his playful artwork Walking in Amsterdam ; the Spaniard Javier Riera evokes a meditative, concentrated state with a slow-motion light projection; the South Korean Soyoun Kim pays tribute to the Dutch seasonal ritual of skating on frozen waters with his Ice Master House ; Mermaid’s Song by the French Flo Arnold reminds us how close the city and port are to the ocean; Studio OSSO depicts the daily busy cycling ritual in the city with Rush Hour ; and Wilhelmusvlug pays tribute to all flower rituals in the world with the light artwork In Bloom.
Walkng and sailing you can admire the new light artworks, specially made for the festival. Walking through the city centre with friends, loved ones, neighbours or family along the almost seven kilometre long route. With the special festival app you get access to information about the route, an audio tour, background information about the artworks and much more. Various light artworks have been set up especially for the walkers. And don’t forget to make a stopover during the walk in the festival heart Light Garden in the Hoftuin. New this year is the culinary walk Foodwalk, where visitors can pick up snacks and drinks from participating catering establishments during the walk.
A unique way to experience the light art is from the water, sailing over the canals. This can be done with a tour boat, an open boat, with a private tour arranged according to your wishes or in your own boat with the festival app. A tour along all the works of art takes about seventy-five minutes.
