Thursday 18 January 2018 8:06am

Lumiere London: Everything you need to know about this weekend's festival of lights

 
Helen Cahill
 
Helen Cahill
 
Helen Cahill

Lumiere is returning to the capital this evening to bring some much-needed cheer to the end of January - here's everything you need to know about the event.

What is it?

Lumiere is a festival of lights which first came to the capital in 2016, and has expanded to new locations due to its success. There will be over 50 installations to enjoy, which will be a mix of neon lights, sculptures and light projections. The festival is produced by art production company and registered charity Artichoke. The first Lumiere produced by Artichoke took place in Durham in 2009.

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When is it?

The light show starts today and ends on Sunday, with light shows running between 5:30pm and 10:30pm.

Where can I see the lights?

Head to King's Cross, Fitzrovia, Mayfair, South Bank, Westminster and the West End to see the installations. In the West End, the light shows will be spread across Leicester Square, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, St James's and Carnaby Street.

Preview Of The London Lumiere
There were 1.3m visitors to the show in its first year in London (Source: Getty)

How much is it?

The shows are obviously free (kind of hard to charge people for walking through London), but festival-goers are asked to make a donation of their choosing to buy the official map of the works.

How can I find out more?

There is a free Lumiere London app which gives details on all of the artworks, how best to get around, and things to do nearby such as bars, restaurants and attractions.

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I'm a driver - will roads in London be affected?

There will be a host of roads closed in West London to allow for an uptick in footfall over the weekend. The following roads will be closed between 16:30 and 23:30 from 18-21 January:

 
Helen Cahill