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Magical light festivals in NRW: Escape the winter blues!
Experience the colorful light festivals in North Rhine-Westphalia: dates, locations and highlights for autumn and winter 2025.
Magical light festivals in NRW: Escape the winter blues!
When the days become shorter and darkness dominates the sky over North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), a series of festive light festivals ensure radiant moments. These festive events bring color and light to the quiet months and attract visitors from near and far. A particularly beautiful setting to fight the winter blues!
This is one of the six highlights of the festival of lights in North Rhine-Westphalia Dyck Castle Light Festival, which will take place in Jüchen in the castle park from September 5th to 20th, 2025. Adults can get in here for 18.50 euros, young people for 13.50 euros and children aged 7 to 16 for just 3 euros, while little ones up to 6 years of age can attend for free. The highlight? A spectacular video mapping on the eastern facade of the castle!
Essen Light Festival and Autumn Highlights
Towards the end of the first half of October, Essen becomes the venue for the Food Light Festivals, which will take place free of charge in downtown Essen from October 2nd to 12th, 2025. With a special anniversary - ten years, the festival is exciting as one of the best light art festivals in Europe. The opening takes place under the musical splendor of DJ MOGUAI, who attracts everyone with a 90-minute, music-synchronized light show!
This takes place in parallel Autumn lights in Maximilian Park in Hamm, which runs from October 10th to November 2nd, 2025. Here visitors can look forward to the 17th edition, which will ensure magical evening hours with brilliant light installations and the glass elephant. Tickets cost 8 euros for adults and 4 euros for children.
Industry in the evening
Not to be forgotten Light market in Duisburg, which opens its doors from November 28th to 30th, 2025 in the Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park. Here, admission prices of 6.50 euros for adults and free access for children up to 12 years contribute to the very special atmosphere that emerges from the light installations and the industrial architecture.
In Wuppertal, however, which is known as the “City of Stairs”, this is the case Light trails on the first Tuesday in February 2026 for an experience. Here people gather in homemade costumes to celebrate walking through the surroundings decorated with over 7,000 candles. A real dazzling spectacle not just for locals!
A look ahead to January and February 2026
The festive light festivals last through the winter, right up to the Soest winter rays from February 13th to 22nd, 2026 in downtown Soest, including a special moonlight shopping event on February 20th. The Wuppertal Light Trails on February 3rd also attract visitors with a fiery show and a tranquil interplay of light and music.
These festivals of lights are simply the perfect opportunity to spend a few relaxing hours with friends or family and enjoy the atmospheric ambience. In a country where the evenings are often cold and already dark, these festivals create a place of warmth and joy. A good touch for the most wonderful time of the year!