Sunderland City Council confirms popular Festival of Light event will not take place this year
Sunderland City Council has confirmed the Festival of Light will not take place this year (2025).
The City Council confirmed the news this week when they announced a double fireworks display will be taking place on New Year’s Eve.
A statement from City Council spokesperson said: “The Festival of Light will not go ahead this year as the council focuses on delivering a refreshed winter offering.”
The confirmation is sure to come as a disappointment to many families with the festival having become a popular part of the city’s annual events calendar, usually taking place between mid October into the start of November, encompassing the school half-term holiday.
Explaining the decision, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism, Councillor Beth Jones said: “While the Festival of Light remains a cherished tradition, this year we're reshaping our winter programme to deliver something bigger, brighter and more inclusive for everyone to enjoy.
"By focusing resources on an ambitious New Year’s Eve celebration, we aim to create a memorable experience for residents and visitors across the city.”
Cllr Jones cited feedback from the recent fireworks display at the opening fixture of the Women’s Rugby World Cup as one of the reasons behind the decision.
She added: “We’re always refreshing and updating our city’s events programme and previously we’ve had the Festival of Light move from the seafront to Mowbray Park.
“We’ve recently had great feedback on the Women’s Rugby World Cup fireworks and other city centre events in and around Keel Square and Keel Crossing.
“So, this year we’re seeing a programme of free events in the city centre focused around both the square and crossing with the evening New Year’s Eve fireworks display and then one at midnight.
“Plus, alongside fireworks there’ll be plenty of bright and illuminated attractions in the city centre with the Christmas Lights Switch-on Thursday 13 November.”
For many years crowds gathered on the seafront at Roker Park to watch an array of dazzling displays of colour and illumination. For the last two years the festival has been moved to Mowbray Park in the city centre.