In recent years, the UK, as a long-established immigration country, has attracted many investors to view it as a primary choice for settling down due to its developed economic environment, superior social welfare system, high-quality British education system, and elegant European lifestyle. Life in the UK after immigrating is undoubtedly vibrant and colorful. Below, we will take you to explore the largest lantern festival, Lumiere Durham Lantern Festival!
Lumiere Durham Lantern Festival—the largest lantern festival in the UK, recently took place in Durham. During the festival, this small town with a population of fewer than 50,000 welcomed tourists from around the world, with nearly 200,000 visitors this year.
Designed by various designers and artists, 29different fun light installations are spread throughout Durham—outside the churches, by the riverside, in the town square, in front of the local university library, and even in graveyards. Citizens and tourists specifically go to the town center to view those large installations, but they often make unexpected discoveries in some corners.
Each year, the highlight of the Lumiere Lantern Festival occurs at Durham Cathedral. This church, built in the 11th century, is a representative of Norman architecture (and an important filming location for the Harry Potter movies).
As in previous years, the exterior walls of the cathedral transform into religious paintings, with changing lights telling local history and stories from the Gospels. However, this year, the interior of the cathedral is also spectacular, featuring a massive light art installation called “Complex Meshes,” designed by French artist Miguel Chevalier, projected onto the dome, with abstract images that continuously twist, change, and move, bringing a wondrous sci-fi feel to this ancient building.
This year's Lumiere Lantern Festival marks the fourth edition. It was initially held in 2009 intending to be a one-time event. The Durham City Council commissioned the creative company Artichoke to bring exciting art installations to the city and encourage public participation. The festival became very popular, well-received, and it resulted in a tangible increase in local economic revenue within a short period, so the lantern festival continued and is held every two years. During this time, the cold Durham in late November becomes warm and lively.
Due to its great response, the Lumiere Lantern Festival has also received invitations from other cities. From January 14 to 17, 2016, the Lumiere Lantern Festival will be held in London. If you happen to be traveling in the UK at that time, be sure to check it out.