Event type: Festival

Liverpool’s vibrant waterfront will become an immersive open-air gallery once again this week, as River of Light returns under the brand new-theme: Together.

The River of Light returns from Friday 23 October – 1 November 2026 (5pm – 9pm) for its ninth year lighting up the city. Additionally, quiet hours will take place on Wednesday 28 October and Sunday 1 November (4pm – 5pm).

For 2026, organisers have collaborated with artists to create a thrilling trail across Liverpool City Centre, with 13 free-to-access installations for the public to enjoy this Autumn. Spanning across popular city locations including Pier Head, Royal Albert Dock, Williamson Square, Liverpool ONE… and more. This year the event is truly an unmissable attraction.

River of Light 2026 Map

River of Light 2026 Installations

The Anooki by Inook

The Anooki puts this year’s theme of “Together” at the heart of its creation, two playful characters inseparable by their mutual experiences and values of friendship and cooperation. 

These Inuit-inspired characters, one boy and one girl, have been travelling the globe since their ice floe disappeared, reminding people about the preciousness of our planet. Since 2012 they have appeared in cities including Lyon (2012), Dubai (2014), Kyiv (2016), Geneva (2020), Doha (2021) and plenty more. Their cheekiness and poetic nature help encourage ongoing discussions around climate change in an accessible and simplistic way.

This year Liverpool is lucky enough to meet these beloved characters, visible to the public while playing hide and seek from behind the structure of Liverpool Town Hall. The Anooki is known for transforming urban spaces into playgrounds and places of freedom, light-heartedness, and discussion, and helping visitors conceptualise their feelings and actions towards the climate crisis.

Location: Liverpool Town Hall, High Street L2 3SW

Colour Rush by Liz West

Colour Rush exists as a stimulating light beacon that aims to make visitors closely examine the intricate relationship and pattern between colour, light, vibrancy, and hue. 

This piece began life as two large drawings which have since been cut, assorted, rearranged, and eventually the outcome is eight individual stripes, creating a large octagonal structure. The beacon stands as a lightbox placed on a mirrored plinth, reflecting the light and making it seem to visitors that the light is multiplying. 

The simplicity, yet intricacy of the piece invites the public to get personal and see their own reflection by closely exploring the beacon. The artwork therefore aims to bring people together through light and see their physical presence merge with other visitors and the colour in front of them.

Location: Martin Luther King Jr Building, Royal Albert Dock L3 4AF

Coloured Peonies by TILT

Created by French Artist studio TILT, Coloured Peonies is a six-meter high eye-catching botanical light installation which is elegant by day and a dazzling spectacle by night. Full of grace and natural wonder, this artwork lights up the night with the Cunard Building providing a stunning backdrop. 

Ingeniously, this artwork takes a literal approach to the theme of ‘Together’ by creating a gathering opportunity for visitors and the wider community. At the base of the illuminating stems, circular benches have been placed to encourage the public to share the space with others and take the time to reflect on the vibrancy and wonder of the illuminated light 

The aim of this piece is to transform the urban space into a dreamlike world where canopies create welcoming spaces for discussion and time to reflect. Both a visual spectacle and deeply thought provoking piece, this installation is one that should not be missed, come day or night.

Location: Cunard Building, The Strand L3 1DD

Dream Herd by Amigo & Amigo

A unique take on counting sheep, this dream-like installation allows visitors to engage with its fanciful nature. From creators Amigo & Amigo, who combine meaningful narratives with joy and recreation, Dream Herd is the perfect interactive installation for all ages. 

Combining real world and dream-like states, this interactive artwork gives visitors the ability to escape from reality and immerse themselves in a surrealist space and time. With both light and sound, the public are able to interact with this installation, creating a sense of escaping to another world, all inspired by the simple act of counting sheep. 

Each leg of the inflatable sheep included in the piece is unique, they illuminate and emit sound when interacted with, helping to fully immerse visitors in the symbolism of a dream-like world. This is as fun as it gets, what’s not to love about an interactive installation where curiosity is ignited, and a dream-like state is entered under the cover of darkness.

Location: Derby Square, L2 1AB

Flower Power by Spectaculaires – Allumeurs d’images

Located in the hustling and bustling Exchange Flags, Flower Power transforms the space into a vibrant and uniquely creative experience for all visitors to enjoy. Created by Spectacularies – Allumeurs d’Images, who have over 35 years experience in transforming space through unique audiovisual creations, this installation is not different.

Each visitor can create their own unique experience by using the interactive jukebox that allows users to select a track from a multi-genre playlist. The floral structures’ illuminations are synchronised to these tracks, allowing for a perfectly timed spectacle all visitors and passers-by can enjoy. Therefore, all people are brought together for a brief moment, to enjoy, to dance, and to play, creating community and small moments of joy. 

Skilfully, while each person can create their own experience, the crescendo of this installation is when all the flowers’ unique parts combine to create something beautiful, highlighting how often the best moments are when people work together. 

Location: Exchange Flags, L2 3PF

Invisible Cities by Atelier Sisu

One of the most emotional and thought-provoking installations, Invisible Cities focuses on the spaces in between and the true fabric of the city. Allowing each visitor to take something unique away, this piece encourages people to think about how they interpret their own community, who that involves, and why it means so much. 

The individual visitor’s interpretation of this piece changes with their feeling of their own place in society, where they fit, and what it means to them to belong. From students, immigrants, locals, day-trippers, and beyond, all visitors to this installation may take something different away, but in doing so, feel closer to the community and those around them, than before. 

The changing colours makes those who interact think about how their neighbours and counterparts also experience the world, championing community through reflection and creativity. Atelier Sisu is the perfect creator for these ideas, as they are known for bringing art into the public consciousness by bridging the gap between extraordinary cultural stories and the everyday spaces within a city.

Location: Pier Head North, L3 1BY

LOOP by Olivier Girouard & Jonathan Villeneuve from EKUMEN

Created in collaboration with British Sri Lankan artist Murugiah, this iteration of LOOP includes 6 giant zoetropes that bring Murugiah’s visual universe to life in a flip-book style manner. Inspired by the 19th century zoetrope device, a pre-film animated device that creates the illusion of motion through movement. 

Visitors to this attraction sit inside the giant wheel and oscillate the central lever together to get the motion flowing. As the movement begins, the cylinder begins to spin and the curated graphic designs and strobe effects create the charm of early cinema techniques.

The attractiveness of this installation is bound by its ability to give visitors their own, unique experience. The animation speed, musical rhythm, and effectiveness of the lights are dependent on the visitors movements and force. The River of Light is known for championing a moment to stop and enjoy simple play in public spaces, and this year is no different thanks to installations such as this one.

Location: St Paul’s Square, L3 9SJ

Paradigm by This Is Loop

At its core, Paradigm by This Is Loop is an installation that poses questions around how coming together and working harmoniously can make a difference. In partnership with Liverpool ONE, this beacon of light encourages visitors to think about their own actions and how they can work with others actions to create something much bigger and influential. 

Somerset based This Is Loop is known for combining art, technology, and architecture to create engaging narratives that transform the everyday spaces. Paradigm is a large beacon of light, made up of individual, much smaller beacons, which signifies the collective impact that lots of individual actions can make when multiplied together. 

Location: Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool ONE L1 8LW

POP! by Gentilhomme

In a true metaphor for togetherness, POP! truly comes alive when visitors collaborate and interact with the installation in unison. Made up of five inflatable puppets, POPO, POPUP, POPLU, POPETTE, and POPOTIN, the public must wake them to release them from their illuminated tower. Waking them by talking, clapping, or singing, visitors can persuade them to come alive and all five puppets can be awoken by audience collaboration to coordinate their energy and noise. 

Togetherness is at the heart of this project, and when all visitors work together, music, movement, and light brightens up Williamson Square. The aim of this project is to invite audience interaction and show visitors how collective action can create collective joy.

Multi-award winning studio Gentilhomme are recognised for their work internationally, and this autumn they’re lighting up Liverpool with their vibrant and immersive installation.

Location: Williamson Square, L1 1EJ

The Stars Come Out At Night by Stellar Creates

Stellar Creates have brought the wonder of the night sky right to the heart of the Royal Albert Dock with this striking installation. Simply, it is one large rotating sculpture, but incredibly it manages to capture the awe of the universe and allows the public to immerse themselves within the stars of the night sky.

While each visitor may approach this piece differently, it is a reminder of our relationship with the cosmos and the universe, each and every one of us standing underneath the same stars every night. Despite our unique lives, we are all a part of something much larger, and brought together by our joint fascination with the stars. A poignant reminder to slow down and revel in the everyday wonder with each other. 

The warm light of this installation creates a warmth and comfort, while posing one of the most existential questions of the whole exhibition relating to our place in the universe. A quiet reminder that we are all connected in the stardust we carried billions of years ago, and we continue to carry a piece of the universe within us constantly. 

Location: Anchor Courtyard, Royal Albert Dock L3 4AS

Today I Love You by Massimo Uberti

Simple yet moving. “Today I Love You” is a piece by Italian light artist Massimo Uberti that can be interpreted in a variety of ways. As a question, as a statement, as a worry, as a reminder, this is truly at the visitors discretion to interpret. And, that is perhaps the wonder of the piece. 

The installations that Uberti creates have an impact in their simplicity, as they leave much for visitors to wonder. This particular installation is simple but illuminated, perhaps to create a sense of joy, and uplift those who visit the piece. Today I love you, while this leaves much to be desired, it helps visitors remind themselves of what they have today and to be grateful for the love they currently receive.

Location: Liverpool Parish Church, L2 8TZ

Together by Murugaih in collaboration with Sam Wiehl and GloMoth

Visitors to this installation enter a wonderful world of colour, expression, and community. The vibrancy and abstract nature of this piece remind those who visit that there is togetherness in an imagined world as the differences we share can truly be a sense of culture and creativity. 

The final piece for this year’s River of Light has been enriched through the co-creation with Liverpool City Region community groups including, the Ukrainian Community Centre, Walton Youth and Community Centre, Our House in Walton, Sedgemore Centre and Dovedale & Calderstones Community Group, Greenhouse Project, and Bronte Youth and Community Centre.

At its core, this piece celebrates world-building, community, and togetherness, and is accompanied by a soundscape by GloMoth to further immerse the public in an encompassing atmosphere. Visitors to this installation are encouraged to lose themselves in the joy and vibrance of this world and perhaps imagine their own co-created world and what that would consist of. 

Location: Wapping Dock Wall, L3 4BX

Unity by Amigo & Amigo

Togetherness goes hand-in-hand with community, and this installation celebrates and pays tribute to the essential role of community to the world we live in. The five human figures in the piece are joined together, intertwined, and when visitors step inside they are immersed by the unity of humans. 

A sense of solidarity is achieved as the spirit of community, collective worth, and resilience is implied to those who visit the installation. For those who step inside the structure, the diversity and joy of humanity is apparent in the array of colour, shapes, and light. Additionally, the floor below is interactive and by hopping about with those around you, more colour and sounds are emitted, enriching the feeling of joy and togetherness further. 

Amigo and Amigo are known for their meaningful narratives and this piece brings those who visit it together in its reminder of friendship, harmony, and the power of working together.

Location: George’s Dock Way, L3 1DD

For more information visit visitliverpool.com/river-of-light-2026.

For more inspiration this autumn, explore Uncover Liverpool’s What’s On Listings