What an unforgettable evening. On Saturday 21st of February, we gathered at MAC to carry light through Cannon Hill Park together, sharing a moment of reflection, creativity and community.
This year’s procession arrived during a meaningful moment across cultures and faiths, with Ramadan, Lent and the Lunar New Year – the Year of the Fire Horse taking place around the same time. Light Up Fest became a space where people could come together to celebrate light, movement and connection.
Light Up Fest 2026 brought hundreds of people together for an evening of lanterns, movement and performance, transforming the park into a glowing procession of light.
In the weeks leading up to the festival, artists from Autin Dance Theatre worked with schools and community groups across Birmingham to create lanterns and large-scale installations. Workshops were led by our Education Coordinator Natasha Boyes, with support from artists Hannah Woodliffe, Angharad Jones-Young, Eleanor Stephenson and Freya Davis. Together with students from Colmore Junior School, Chandos Primary School and Lift Montgomery Primary, the lantern-making sessions brought creativity and collaboration to the heart of the project. We were also delighted to work alongside a number of inspiring community groups including participants from Loop Learning workshops at West Midlands Circus and Creation Centre, Balsall Heath CATS Children Action Team Support, Autistic Girls Network, Micro Rainbow and the Journeys Group. Participants also joined us through collaborations with Birmingham Light Festival at the Pen Museum and through our in-house workshops at Midlands Arts Centre. Seeing so many groups and communities come together through shared making was truly inspiring.
The evening procession featured incredible groups of professional performers and collaborators, including Sign Spinning UK, the Giant Owl from Ashbourne Festival, the Snow Queens from False Feet, the Horse from 101 Outdoor Arts and contribution from Birmingham Opera Company. Each adding their shares to the spectacle and magic to the night, creating unforgettable moments for audiences and participants.
Light Up Fest is created by Autin Dance Theatre in partnership with Midlands Arts Centre and kindly supported by Eversheds Sutherland, AF Blakemore and The Noel Sweeney Foundation, helping us keep this celebration accessible for our communities. We are also deeply grateful to our volunteers and stewards, supported by OPUS, United 2022 and Create Central whose care and dedication carried the event from beginning to end.
We are a small charity with a big heart, and events like this only happen thanks to an extraordinary team and an extraordinary community. Thank you to everyone who walked with us.
We cannot wait to welcome you back for the third edition next year.
📝 We’d love your feedback to help make next year’s edition even better and brighter
