Lyon, France Announces the Festival of Lights 2015

LYON, FRANCE--(Marketwired - Oct 15, 2015) - Lyon's Festival of Lights (Fête des Lumières) is one of the oldest and largest light events in the world. This year Lyon will celebrate its heritage with one hundred artists reinventing numerous buildings with their light creations, delighting the three million visitors that attend this cultural event each year.

History and innovation

The Festival of Lights commemorates the December 8^th 1952 celebration of the statue of the Virgin Mary on Fourvière Hill, when the people of Lyon decorated their balconies with candles and wandered through the city streets. Inspired by this, the City of Lyon invented the Festival of Lights almost 20 years ago; this modern and unifying event has since been recreated all around the world.

This year surprise and creation are at the heart of the Festival of Lights. Artists from all backgrounds will take part in this unique urban event: lighting designers, filmmakers, architects, graphic designers, visual artists, and street artists. This all-encompassing artistic approach is a Festival of Lights trademark.

With 2015 being the International Year of Light, UNESCO has labelled the Festival of Lights an official light event.

An array of new additions

Well-known artists, such as Patrice Warrener return this year to make the fountain of Place des Jacobins sparkle with a thousand lights. New artists will also debut at the festival this year.

The 2015 edition will focus on nature and the environment with works that will transform the city into a haven of green: giant peonies on the peninsula, a green island on Place de la Comedie and an imaginary voyage at Place des Terreaux are a few examples of the artistic experiences that will be showcased there.

About ONLYLYON
ONLYLYON is both the international brand and regional marketing campaign of the Lyon metropolitan area. Created in 2007 by the city's 13 leading institutional and economic actors, today ONLYLYON has 30 private and public partners to promote the city's renown and attractiveness on an international scale.
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