(Sweden) – Returning to locations and paths illuminated in previous years, seventeenth light trail ends in Stork shopping centre, where Children’s Lights is located this year.

The route of the light trail has been fixed for this year’s Lights in Alingsås festival. The light trail takes visitors through the town, where seven urban locations including bridges, tunnels and a graveyard, along with a residential area and a park, provide inspiration for innovative and exciting light installations by this year’s eight international lighting designers.

“We hope that visitors will look at the illuminated areas in Alingsås in a new way, leading them to discover forgotten places they may previously have walked past without thinking about,’’ said Angelica Larsson, Event Manager.

This year’s theme is The Enlightenment which is based on the UN’s seventeen global sustainable development goals, which in turn leaves their mark on the light trail.

‘‘This year we hope that the light trail will fire interest in sustainability issues, which are so important to highlight. These questions are easily forgotten, just like certain places. We hope that visitors will realise that sustainability is about so much more than just the environment,’’ said Margaretha Stenmark, Workshop Manager. ‘‘No efforts which work towards a better world are too small,’’ concluded Stenmark.

This year the Lights in Alingsås festival is being held for the seventeenth year in a row and it is a challenge to find new routes for the popular light trail, which draws in the region of 90,000 visitors a year.

Kjell Hult, Development Manager at Alingsås municipality commented: ‘‘The walk will take visitors between roughly 45 minutes and one hour, and begin and end in the centre of the town. Now we’re returning to locations and paths we’ve illuminated in previous years. It’s interesting to compare the past and present.’’

‘‘Usually it’s difficult to make something special out of everyday environments. I’m most excited about what we’re going to find at Nyebrogatan. It’s a place that many people pass every day, but without thinking about it or its surroundings,’’ added Hult.

The light trail will start at Estrad conference and events centre in Alingsås. After this the walk continues past Christinae Church, goes into Plantaget park and crosses the bridge over Säveån, and continues along Sidenvägen, where installation number three can be found. It then turns back towards the town centre along Kyrkstigen at Nyebro, continues down towards Brunnsparken, continues through Nygrens passage and ends up in the Stork shopping centre, where Children’s Lights is located this year.

‘‘At this very moment we’re planning one of many additional installations. In Plantaget park visitors will find examples of solar powered light installations,’’ said Larsson.

This year’s head designers were in Alingsås for a weekend in February where they went around the town with the team, looking for suitable places to build their theme-based installations. Exactly what the light installations will look like is not finally decided until one week before the event starts, when designers and students work together in a week-long workshop to construct the installations.

Installations along the light trail:

A Time to Reflect, Team Gilmore

Global Goal No 16 – Peace and justice.

The aim is to promote peaceful and inclusive communities and encourage sustainable development. With the local church acting as a site, visitors are offered a chance to reflect.

The Red Button, Team Valero 2

Global Goal No 13 – Climate action, No 14 – Life below water, No 15 – Life on land.

The installation alongside the bridge, the edges of the path and in the water, is designed to increase our understanding of how wonderful this earthly paradise is – but also how weak and vulnerable.

The Abandoned House, Team Basler

Global Goal No 10 – Reduced inequalities.

The goal is to reduce inequalities within and between countries. In her creation of the deserted little house with its large barn, Jytte wants to illustrate the contrasts of modern society and show that not everyone can be part of the idyll we take for granted.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Team Brockway

Global Goal No 1 – No poverty.

In a Green Room, C.J highlights how people in extreme poverty are displaced and become invisible in today’s society.

Gender Equality, Team De Schutter

Global Goal No 5 – Gender Equality

Along the path to the church, passing several key points, the focus is on women’s rights and opportunities in all aspects of today’s society.

Nature Calling, Team Carucci & Hagström

Global Goal No 13 – Climate action.

Nature is calling. Our designers want to get us involved in environmental issues through education and active participation, and by appealing to our consciences.

Life Below Water, Team Trylski

Global Goal No 14 – Life below water.

In its panoramic view the design presents us with an insight into the precarious state of water, but also the hope that by working together we can change the situation for the better.

Highlights – experiences along the way

Look out for other exciting, magical light installations along the light trail. Companies, associations and private individuals have also been invited to interpret this year’s theme.

Children’s Lights

Children from Alingsås pre-schools and schools have created their own light installations that show what they make of this year’s theme. Come to Galleria Stork to see the exhibition showing how our young people interpret the Global Goals. In collaboration with Sparbanken Alingsås, Estrad, Komtek och Gallerian Storken.

Lights in Alingsås will run from 30 September to 6 November, 2016

www.lightsinalingsas.se