Art, Culture

27\11\2015
Written by Kadri Muuk



LIGHT UP THE NIGHT WITH AMSTERDAM LIGHT FESTIVAL

The dark and gloomy evenings of Amsterdam are going to shine a lot brighter, starting from November 28th. Yes, Amsterdam Light Festival (ALF) is just around the corner! Every year the city houses artists, both local and international, to create a spectacle from light. This year’s theme is “Friendship”, so you can expect various interpretations and variations of the subject. Next to well-known names, the festival offers a platform for new talented light artists.

ALF will officially open on Saturday, November 28th, with Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix leading the opening ceremony. The event takes place in front of the building of the National Opera & Ballet Amsterdam and involves hundreds of singers. As admission is free, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t come!

BLEND\BUREAUX-heart

Simply walking around Amsterdam and hoping to bump into light installations isn’t very efficient. That’s why the nice people at ALF created a route for us to follow. There are two main possibilities to experience the light show – either by boat or by foot. The route reachable by canals is fittingly called Water Colors and offers a unique perspective on the show from Amsterdam’s famous waterways. The watery route starts from Amsterdam Centraal and takes about 75 minutes to finish. It is open for smooth sailing from November 28th until January 17th with boats departing daily from 17.00-22.00.

BLEND\BUREAUX-alf-copyirght-janus-van-den-eijnden-9 BLEND\BUREAUX-serge-schoemaker-architecs-digiluce-copyright-janus-van-den-eijnden-2

The route for people who feel safer with pavement under their feet is called Illuminade and takes the spectator through culturally rich neighbourhoods such as Plantage and Weesper. The walking route is officially open for spectators from December 10th until January 3rd, giving the boat tours a head start. Program books containing more information about the routes and the installations are available for purchase at the Festival Kiosk, located next to the Stopera at Waterlooplein, also the starting point of the walk.

Your evenings just got a lot brighter! So, dress warm and follow the route of extraordinary light installations around Amsterdam. Grab a guide from the kiosk or learn more about the festival from here.