The sensational festival of light that is Southend LuminoCity is back, and this year there is a giant disco ball to dance under!
The festival runs overs half term from Thursday 16 February until Saturday 18 February, from 5pm to 10pm, once the sun sets it will come alive with light displays across the city.
Cliff Gardens
Disco City at Cliff Gardens will feature Southend DJ legends from clubs past and present pumping out tunes under a huge two metre disco ball suspended from the observation tower footbridge next to Pier Hill.
Sponsored by Atlantic Pacific Group, the installation was created by Andy Barak-Smith, who said:
“I’ve worked in several nightclubs that are unfortunately no longer here, such as Zinc, Storm, Chameleon, to name a few, and every single one had mirror balls. I thought this would be a great way to pay tribute to our city’s nightlife legacy,” said Andy.
“I used to go over to Zero 6 back in my youth, so I can’t wait for Ian Reading to play The Gap Band and ‘Opps Upside Yer Head’ and see people sat in a line on the floor under the giant disco ball.”
On Thursday there will be Ian Reading, Merv Griffiths, Darren Ball. On Friday Greg Barker will be on the decks and Daryl Easlea is DJing on Saturday 18 February where the founder and one quarter of Middle Age Spread is hosting a grown up disco for those unafraid to dance.
Dazzling - installation was created by Andy Barak-Smith (Image: Southend City Council)
Central Museum
At Central Museum there will be the breath-taking Ursula Lassos the Moon installation which is a realistic 3D projection of the moon as it hovers in the air and rotates gently..
Southend High Street
The installation Emergence, by Southend City BID, which will be at the top of the high street. Visitors walking up from the seafront will see the installation Brilliance just past the railway bridge, find Scribble Trees and benches outside Southend Central station and Halo near to The Forum, before re-joining the High Street to find Pulse.
Southend LuminoCity map - all you need to know about what's going on (Image: Southend City Council)
Royal Square and Southend Pier
Light battle, sponsored by Forward Motion, with be at Royal Square and the Nova light display will be at Southend Pier.
If you are travelling by car there is parking on Essex Street, Short Street, Victoria Shopping Centre, Warrior square, Tylers Avenue, Central train station, Royal Shopping Centre and on Clarence Road.
Festival of light - stunning visual displays at the festival (Image: Southend City Council)
Southend City Jam was a street art festival we held back in September 2022, when more than 100 artists put their artistic stamp on the city. During LuminoCity the team at Essex Sound and Light are going to work their magic creating a range of bespoke lighting displays to add another dimension to these incredible pieces.
See www.southendluminocity.co.uk/installation/disco-city.
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