Lighting the way to this year's events
It’s Lights, Disco, Darlington as the first main event of the year gets underway in the town centre from Saturday 4 until Sunday 12 February. Darlington Lights will light the way to a full programme of town centre events.
Response to Darlington Lights has already proved popular with the first ever town-wide silent disco (part of the event) selling out hours after being posted on the our social media channels.
Darlington Lights will see a wide range of light installations throughout the town, giving visitors the chance to stop for selfies and even walk through some of the creations. TEP Electrical Distributors, a local company that’s over 100 years old, is sponsoring the event this year. They will be providing many of the lights for the event as well as installing a pop-up walk through selfie station for the Market Hall and pink neon lights around various shop windows on Duke Street.
Joinery students from Darlington College will be involved again and are working on what promises to be an amazing woodland scene with lights and a stream, located in the Dolphin Centre foyer.
Many town centre businesses are on board and will be displaying lights in their shop windows. The popular heart installation will return to Indulgence Beauty on Skinnergate ready for early Valentine’s poses whilst Bike Stop will be pulling all the stops out with their bike light display.
Local artist and printmaker Merlyn Griffiths from The Littlest Falcon will be creating an art piece in Crafty Merlin’s on Buckton’s Yard and Echo 3 Coffee House in Clark’s Yard. Natalie Kippersmith from Kippersmith Designs will be working on an installation for the Friends Meeting House Window.
Finishing touches are being made to the town centre events 2023 calendar. New events for this year include a sustainability event, a tractor and diggers day as well as activities to mark the King’s Coronation. Firm family favourites will also return and include a Morris Dancing Day, Darlington Dance Festival, Vintage Vehicle Rally, Food Festival, Community Carnival, GOLD Tea Dance, Darlington by Sea and many more.
Jamie Bartch, cabinet member for economy, said:
“Darlington Lights will give people the chance to see the town in a different light! This is our first main event of the year and promises to light the way to a great programme of events for our town centre. It’s also a great example of how our town centre businesses get involved in our community by supporting these events. Thank you to all that have helped through sponsorship or by creating their own displays.
“Our exciting diary of events showcases our commitment to putting on a great range of events which will help to draw thousands of visitors to our town centre, where they can enjoy family fun as well as explore the fabulous shops, bars and cafes.”
Sarah Marshall, General Manager of TEP Electrical Distributors, who are sponsoring Darlington Lights, added:
“We are delighted to support this local event and use our LED lighting and design expertise to help provide some of the display installations.
“We are a long-standing business that specialises in LED lighting and design, as well as electrical supplies, and security solutions and we are proud to have served the people of Darlington since the 1960s. Supporting this event helps us to give something back to our local community.”
Visitors to the town centre can take advantage of two hours free parking in council-run car parks and are advised to read all car parking signs carefully and display a ticket from the machine.
Details of what’s on are available at www.enjoydarlington.co.uk/whats-on or on our Facebook page.