How do our friends up north keep warm in the winter?
… you guessed it, by lighting up the town! Here is my experience at the Montreal High Lights Festival!
During the chilly month of February Montreal brightens up their city with the Montreal High Lights Festival or Festival Montreal en Lumiere, a yearly tradition. Since 2000, the city has a ten day long celebration consisting of culinary events, performance art, exhibits, light shows and free activities. This winter, I decided to bare the bitter cold and planned a long weekend to Montreal. Amongst the beauty that the town had to offer, I discovered what the festival of lights was all about.
On our first evening strolling through town, we walked right into the hub of the Montreal High Lights Festival. Colors were flashing, the music was loud, and I couldn’t believe it when I saw people flying through the air along a 110-meter long luge. At the Quartier des Spectacles in downtown Montreal, the town had set up a double luge where people traveled at full speed through the luge. As the sliders moved swiftly down the luge they were accompanied by sound effects and color changing lighting that were activated by their own movement as they traveled. Check out the YouTube video!
Around the next corner was an illuminated Ferris Wheel, a stage with live music accompanied by two gigantic igloo-shaped tents which housed a bar and lounge. Lights were streaming around us, color changing lights, blinking lights, laser lights, light used to script writing onto building surfaces – we were enveloped in a celebration of light! I was ecstatic and inspired. It was like a winter carnival and I’m sure the locals were happy to have a reason to escape their warm homes and venture into the frigid weather. The colors and illuminations were brilliantly displayed throughout the city.
Aside from the festival in the center of town, there were light shows and interactive displays scattered throughout the town and in addition to the lighting there was what Montreal would call there “highlights on gastronomy”! Since 2000, some 400 renowned chefs have taken part in the festival offering unforgettable dining experiences. The Montreal High Light Festival was truly an unforgettable experience!
To learn more:
- Montreal en Lumiere
- Montréal en lumière’s outdoor Urban Slide is like riding the luge in the Winter Olympics!
*Post by Kimberly King, former Project Manager with The Lighting Practice
