Our Place Wakefield

08/01/2026

2024 was Our Year and together we found Our Place!

Our Year – Wakefield District 2024 showed us that culture is connection. It’s the threads that tie us together across the whole Wakefield District. It is in Our Place, our towns and villages, our city centre and our parks, our nature reserves and our canals and rivers too. And it’s happening everywhere you look.

Thank you all for following Our Place Wakefield. This page will soon be closing but it's not end of the story, you can:

🎨 Unearth creative opportunities by following Creative Wakefield

🎶 Explore what’s on at Wakefield’s new cultural hub by following WX Wakefield

🏞️ Uncover the best of Wakefield's attractions and food venues by following Experience Wakefield

📚 Explore what’s taking place in our welcoming libraries by following Wakefield Libraries

🏰 Discover the extraordinary stories of our museum and castles by following Wakefield Museum Castleford Museum Pontefract Museum & Pontefract Castle (official)

🏸 Find out more about the leisure centres in Wakefield, by following Wakefield Wellbeing

01/12/2025

What an incredible weekend! Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Christmas Light Switch-On celebrations in Ossett and Pontefract – you truly made it magical 🌟

From festive markets brimming with seasonal treats to live performances that filled the air with music and cheer, it was a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season 🎄

📸 Andrew Benge

Experience Wakefield Wakefield Council

27/11/2025

Castleford, you lit up the night! ✨

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Light Up Castleford – what an incredible day of festive cheer!

From browsing the Christmas market and sampling delicious street food to enjoying amazing performances on the main stage, the community spirit was truly shining. The magical light switch-on at 5:30pm was the perfect way to kick off the season!

📸 Andrew Benge

22/11/2025

What a night!🌌

Wakefield Council's Light Up Wakefield Festival started in spectacular style in Wakefield City Centre last night ✨

Thank you to our friends at Rhubarb Radio for compering the main stage and the Christmas Light Switch On - with the lights switched on by none other than football legend Chris Kamara (official)!

The lantern parade was pure magic 🌟 Thank you to Handmade Productions and amazing local community groups CoActive, Wakefield & District Society for Deaf People, Nigeria Community Wakefield, Wakey Wheeled Cats Roller Derby, Girl Guides and Portobello Community Centre for making it happen.

The Event Hub at WX Wakefield was thriving! Make sure to stop by again tonight to pick up your free trail map and discover the dazzling Light Trail:
1. Wandering by Amelia Kosminsky
2. Ship of the Gods by Heinrich & Palmer
3. HALO by Illumaphonium
4. The Relic of Mirchwood Forest by Laura Spark
5. Interactive Gaming by Light Art Creatives
6. Rever by Outpoint Studio
7. Let's Draw by Emma Bolland (at The Art House Wakefield)
8. Marbles by Gertjan Adema
9. Let's Draw by Maxime Touroute

Also keep an eye out for our walkabout entertainment PeaPea La Plume! 🦚

For all key event information, please visit: expwake.co/LightUpWakefield

For information on accessibility provisions please visit expwake.co/accessibility

📸 Abbie Jennings

Experience Wakefield Light Up the North

21/11/2025

Today's the day!🌠

Get all the key information for Light Up Wakefield below:

WX is delighted to be a part of Light Up Wakefield which starts TODAY 🌟

Find the all important event information for the festival below:

📅 Festival Dates/Times
Friday 21 November, 4pm-9pm
Saturday 22 November, 5pm-9pm
Sunday 23 November, 5pm-8pm

🌃 Event Hub: WX Wakefield Exchange
Visit the Event Hub for your FREE Trail Map and to see installations Wandering & Ship of the Gods.
Address: Union Street, Wakefield, WF1 3AD

💡 Christmas Light Switch On
Friday 21 November, 5:30pm, Cathedral Precinct

✨ Lantern Parade
Friday 21 November, 6pm-7pm
Parade Route: The Parade will start on Brook Street at 6pm moving towards Wood Street by 6:30pm. From there it will then travel to Coronation Gardens, finishing at 7pm.

🌌 Light Trail
Friday 21 November, 5:30pm-9pm
Saturday 22 November, 5pm-9pm
Sunday 23 November, 5pm-8pm
*Please note Ship of the Gods timings are slightly different.

There will be 9 installations on the Light Trail: Wandering, Ship of the Gods, HALO, The Relic of Mirchwood Forest, Interactive Gaming, Rever, The Public Dream, Marbles & Let's Draw.

Trail maps can be picked up at the Event Hub or viewed online here: expwake.co/LightTrail

For full information on accessibility provisions please visit expwake.co/accessibility

19/11/2025

Step into a world of winter magic at Light Up Wakefield's magical Lantern Parade!

📅 Friday 21 November
⏰ 6pm-7pm
📌 Wakefield City Centre (Starting at Brook Street)

Enjoy an unforgettable evening filled with glowing creations, dazzling performances, and larger-than-life puppets that will light up the streets and your imagination.

Find out more at expwake.co/LanternParade

18/11/2025

Light Up Wakefield returns THIS WEEKEND 🌟

Visit Wakefield City Centre from Friday 21 - Sunday 23 November for more dazzling light art installations than ever before!

Starting at 4pm on Friday, you can enjoy live music and entertainment on the main stage before the Christmas Light Switch-On at 5:30pm – which kickstarts the Wakefield Light Trail!

The end of the switch-on also sees the beginning of a fantastical Lantern Parade which will be starting at 6 pm on Brook Street.

Make sure to stop by the Event Hub in WX Wakefield Exchange and pick up a free trail map to locate all the art installations appearing across the city.

Get all the details (including travel and accessibility information) at expwake.co/LightUpWakefield

# Handmade Productions Wakefield Council Experience Wakefield wx

14/11/2025

13/11/2025

Light Up Wakefield: Travel Information

🚗 Parking
There are numerous off-street and on-street car parking spaces in Wakefield City Centre and from Monday 17 November visitors can enjoy up to two hours of free parking in all Council-owned off-road long-stay car parks! Find a full list with details here >> https://ow.ly/FoMx50Xr2iV

There is also parking available at Trinity Walk and The Riding Shopping Centre.

🚌 Bus
Wakefield Bus Station is next door to WX Wakefield Exchange. You can find more information about bus services to Wakefield on the Arriva website here >> https://ow.ly/LIZR50Xr2iU

🚄 Train
Train operator Northern are offering a limited time deal for tickets to Light Festivals! Tickets priced at £2 can be purchased on the Northern website or the Northern App, up to three days before the event. Find out more at >> https://ow.ly/vuXL50Xr2iW
The nearest station to the festival site is Wakefield Westgate.

13/11/2025

Discover the stories behind new community murals in our district!

As part of the legacy of the Our Year - Wakefield District 2024 Crossings and Gateways Programme, three stunning murals have transformed walls in Knottingley, Overton, and Fitzwilliam into vibrant works of art.

Co-created with local residents, these murals celebrate the unique identity and spirit of each community.

Watch this new short film to explore these incredible artworks at The Addy, Denby Grange Collieries Athletics Club, and Fitzwilliam Station.

🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or2XHEN5SoU

Supported by Wakefield Council

As part of the legacy of Our Year - Wakefield District 2024 Crossings and Gateways Programme, three new murals in Knottingley, Overton and Fitzwilliam have b...

12/11/2025

Light Up Wakefield is back with more dazzling light art installations than ever before and we're delighted that WX is the festival's Event Hub!

Stop by to pick up your FREE trail map to locate all the light art installations appearing across the city throughout the weekend ✨

You can also see two of the installations, Ship of the Gods and Wandering, at WX!

Get all the details >> wxwfd.short.gy/EventHub

Wakefield Council Our Place Wakefield Experience Wakefield