The annual Colour & Light Festival returned to the city this February, bringing large-scale projections and sound displays to historic locations in the centre of York.

The event took place between 4 and 22 February at the Eye of York, where digital projections were displayed across the walls of York Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower.

Shows ran every ten minutes from 6pm to 9pm every evening.

The displays combined animation, coloured lighting and music projected onto the buildings’ surfaces.

The week of the 16^{th of} February was also Viking Week, so this was incorporated within the light show, featuring a re-enactment of a sword fight.

@visityorkofficial

Colour & Light is back for 2026 – bigger, brighter, and bolder! ✨ Brought to you by York BID, this year’s event lights up York Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower together for the first time. Enjoy a fully choreographed light and sound show, running every 10 minutes. Perfect for dropping by as part of your evening in the city. 📅 4–22 February ⏰ 6–9pm See the city like never before! Plan your visit: visityork.org/events/colour-light-2

♬ original sound – Visit York – Visit York

Whilst the Viking festival was happening during the day, immersing tourists and locals to the history of Vikings, the colour and light festival allowed people to be entertained by a fire and sword fight during the evening.

Each sequence lasted around ten minutes before repeating throughout the evening.

The festival was organised by the York Business Improvement District, which hosts the event annually during the winter period.

Entry was free and visitors did not need to book in advance.

The projection shows used imagery and themes connected to the city’s history and architecture.

Historical York characters were also featured within the projections. One of them was Mary Bateman, known as the Yorkshire Witch, who claimed her hen could predict the end of the world.

Visitors gathered in the area around the Eye of York to watch the displays throughout the evening.

First time attendee, Charlotte Matthews, said she came to see the projections after hearing about the event online.

“I thought it was interesting to see the buildings used as part of the display,” she said. “It’s different from visiting during the day and it was something to do in the evening.”

“I particularly enjoyed seeing the historical characters come to life on the walls of York Castle Museum.”

A quieter viewing period was also scheduled during the final hour each night, with reduced sound levels and fewer effects to make the event more accessible to a wider range of visitors.

According to The York BID, who organised the event, the festival welcomed 75,000 visitors over the three weeks.

The Colour and Light festival is one of several seasonal events held in York throughout the year and will be returning in 2027.