The Copenhagen Light Festival: A bright end to winter

When winter comes to an end, we are all ready for the days to get longer and brighter. The Copenhagen Light Festival does just that in February of each year.  This annual festival brightens the final month of winter with a celebration of light art, lighting design and illumination.

Every year, there are new installations throughout the city, sometimes in the same place but often in different places. In 2025, there will be over 50 pieces to discover throughout the city, from Nørrebro and Vestre Kirkegård to Ørestad and Reffen, and of course in Indre By. Read on the learn more about the Copenhagen Light Festival to prepare for your February visit in Copenhagen.

Good to know facts about the Copenhagen Light Festival

In 2025 the Copenhagen Light Festival takes place from 31 January to 22 February. The lights turn on at 17.00 (5 in the evening) around sunset, and they dim for the night around 22.00. Though some installations shine for slightly longer or shorter, which is why we recommend starting your tour slightly later and finishing a bit earlier.

The first edition of the Copenhagen Light Festival took place in 2018, making 2025 the 8^th edition of the festival. Most of the art is located in the city centre but some are a bit further afield. To find all the art you can find a map on the Copenhagen Light Festival website as well as links to a free app with more information about the artworks.

How to see the Copenhagen Light Festival?

Visiting and viewing the light art of the festival is free for everyone. However, if you don’t want to go exploring on your own, there are several tours and events you can join throughout the weeks of the festival. You can, for instance, join a guided tour, which comes with a warm drink, individual headsets and lots of information.

If a walk along the illuminated art is a bit too slow for your pace, you might want to sign up for the Light Run. This 7.7 km race takes you past a multitude of the beautiful installations and provides you with an LED chain that you can where while running. There is also a shorter Family Light Run, which is fun for the whole family as the route is stroller-friendly.

But there are even more ways to enjoy the festival! For instance, the Social Beer Walk and the Wine & Walk, where you can enjoy a beer or wine tasting as you make your way along the light art of the festival. The festival has also created different routes which you can explore on your own, including bike routes, and which can be found in the app.