Copenhagen Light Festival. Photo: Katt.drw / Shutterstock The world’s biggest Light Art Run lit up Copenhagen during the annual Light Festival. Around 1,300 runners, draped in glowing chains, turned the city streets into a moving art installation.
Participants made their way past 16 light displays in the historic harbor area. The main course stretched 7 kilometers, while families could enjoy a shorter, 3-kilometer route with their children.
Copenhagen. Photo: Francis Crisostomo / ShutterstockFeaturing more than 50 light installations, Copenhagen Light Festival is the largest on the European continent, drawing on contributions from both well-established and emerging artists who create works that transform the city’s everyday spaces into glowing, magical environments. Most installations line the harbor, but many also appear in residential neighborhoods, bringing new energy to squares, bridges, and hidden corners.
Night runners. Photo: Tsuguliev / ShutterstockThe festival embraces the long, dark Danish winter with playful and immersive experiences. Alongside the Light Run, visitors can join a Silent Disco, treasure hunts for families, or guided tours by boat, some paired with beer tastings, alcoholic or not.
More than 400,000 people visit the festival each year, making it one of Denmark’s largest free events. Despite February’s cold and unpredictable weather, the festival runs for three weeks, offering a mix of art, light, and community celebration.
This year’s festival wraps up on February 23, but the Light Run and all other activities return every February, inviting locals and visitors alike to experience Copenhagen in a new, illuminated way.
Amsterdam also hosted a similarly popular Festival of Lights between November 27, 2025, and January 18, 2026. The festival's 14th edition featured 30 public locations.
Amsterdam Festival of Lights. Photo: Alexey Kashevnik, Shutterstock