BIG CITY LIGHTS* A Festival of Light, Art, and Music Returns This Weekend

Join the BIG CITY LIGHTS* festival in Gold Coast for a grand return. Experience immersive audio-visual experiences, large-scale digital works, 3D-mapping, and installations

The highly anticipated BIG CITY LIGHTS* festival is set to make a grand return this weekend, starting Friday 21st June, 5.30pm. After its remarkable inception in 2022, the festival is back with more gusto and an extensive program of over 39 works spread out across more than 40 locations. These include Nerang Street, Scarborough Street, Regent Lane, Davenport Street, and Davidson Lane in Southport.

BIG CITY LIGHTS*, presented by Experience Gold Coast, is a family-friendly and completely free festival. It will be held over three weekends from 21st June to 7th July 2024, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, from 5.30pm till 9.30pm. This innovative festival promises to offer a unique, self-guided journey through immersive audio-visual experiences, large-scale digital works, 3D-mapping, and installations that transform Southport’s laneways and buildings into an outdoor gallery.

Adding to the charm and appeal of BIG CITY LIGHTS* is the live music and performances at various venues and outdoor sites across the Gold Coast CBD. This makes the festival not only accessible and family-friendly, but also an attraction for a diverse demographic of locals and drive-market visitors.

The festival boasts a lineup of leading local and national artists including Joan Ross, Justene Williams, Judy Watson, Vernon Ah Kee, Erik Griswold, Yuriyal Bridgeman, Lawrence English, and Julian Day. “Following its resounding success in 2022, we’re thrilled to host BIG CITY LIGHTS* in our Gold Coast CBD,” said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. “This year promises to be even more spectacular and adds another unforgettable experience to our growing Gold Coast events calendar. See you there!”

BIG CITY LIGHTS* presents an opportunity for locals and visitors to experience the Gold Coast through a new lens and for locals of all-ages to rediscover their city. The festival is unique to Southeast Queensland, being the only one of its kind in the state. Councillor for Division 6, Cr Brooke Patterson stated, “Southport is the perfect home for this urban and digital design festival. The Big City Lights team treat the CBD as their canvas— taking advantage of its art deco architecture and creative alleyways. Get ready to see the CBD in a whole new light! An event for all ages. Make sure you partake in some great Korean, Japanese and Chinese cuisine along the way.”

In 2022, BIG CITY LIGHTS* drew close to 15,000 people to Southport CBD over 4-nights, and this year, the festival is expected to attract more than 40,000 people. “The BIG CITY LIGHTS* festival reimagines Southport CBD as one big outdoor gallery. The artworks curated will delight and hopefully, catalyse conversations connected to place, urban development and contemporary culture,” said Rosie Dennis, Artistic Director, BIG CITY LIGHTS*. “With strong representation by some of Queensland’s most significant visual artists including Vernon Ah Kee, Judy Watson and Yuriyal Bridgeman, alongside nationally significant artists Joan Ross, Justene Williams and Eugenia Raskopoulos, this free festival, which plays at the intersection of art, architecture and urban design, is an incredible new cultural offering for the GC. We are so excited that we are opening on Friday night!”

Experience Gold Coast CEO, John Warn, stated, “Experience Gold Coast is thrilled to deliver Big City Lights for 2024, partnering with the City of Gold Coast to build on the Gold Coast’s growing reputation across arts and culture.”

Driven by innovation, BIG CITY LIGHTS* will deliver plenty of Instagram-able moments for all who experience this family-friendly and free festival, a place where creativity and technology collide. Don’t miss out on this unique and immersive cultural experience, lighting up the streets of Gold Coast this weekend.

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