Bristol Light Festival will return to the city for ten magical nights between Thursday 19 - Saturday 28 February 2026*, with world-renowned Bristol fabric engineers Cameron Balloons today announced as one of this year’s headline creatives. Their brand-new installation, The Lite Series, will bring the city’s ballooning heritage to life in a vivid, interactive artwork that celebrates Bristol’s craft and creativity.
Situated on College Green, the world premiere installation will transform a cluster of illuminated hot air balloons into a responsive landscape of light, sound and play. Visitors are invited to fire each balloon by pulling a simple cord, triggering a burst of colour and a resonant whoosh inspired by a real burner. As more people take part, the balloons glow brighter, sound bigger and build a shared spectacle that celebrates the collective joy at the heart of the festival.
Cameron Balloons has been central to Bristol’s identity for over fifty years, creating more than 9,500 balloons that have flown across the world. Debuting at Bristol Light Festival 2026, The Lite Series marks the first public unveiling of this new collaboration between Cameron Balloons and the festival’s Creative Director Katherine Jewkes, reimagining ballooning as an accessible, immersive experience for everyone.
Thanks to the newly unified Bristol Business Improvement District (BID), the 2026 festival footprint stretches further than ever before, encouraging audiences to explore more corners of the city during the festival run. This year’s festival dates also include the first weekend of the school half term, giving families more opportunities to experience the artworks together.
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Jess Siggers, Marketing Manager at Cameron Balloons, said: “Bristol’s skyline has been shaped by our balloons for generations, so we’re thrilled to bring that heritage back down to earth in an entirely new way for Bristol Light Festival. The Lite Series invites everyone to feel the magic of ballooning up close. It’s playful, it’s interactive and above all, it celebrates the engineering and imagination that Bristol is famous for.”
Creative Director of Bristol Light Festival, Katherine Jewkes, said: “Cameron Balloons is such an iconic part of Bristol’s story and reimagining their craftsmanship through light and play has been a joy. The Lite Series captures the magic, warmth and wonder of ballooning in a completely new way, inviting audiences to fire the burners themselves and become part of the spectacle. It’s a celebration of Bristol’s creativity, brought to life by one of the city’s most beloved makers.”
Bristol Light Festival is an award-winning event that shines a light on the city’s creativity while supporting the evening economy during the winter months. Backed by the business community and powered by the newly unified Bristol BID, the festival brings together local, national and international artists to transform Bristol’s streets, landmarks and hidden corners with light.
Anna Farthing, Interim Head of Place at Bristol BID, said: “Our newly unified Bristol BID is committed to championing creativity within every sphere of business and bringing memorable and meaningful moments to the city centre. The Lite Series is a shining example of how partnerships between Bristol’s extraordinary makers and our cultural organisations can transform public spaces and support the evening economy. We’re proud to help bring this extraordinary installation to College Green for residents and visitors to enjoy.”
Following the recent announcement of headline installations by acclaimed British artist Liz West, The Lite Series marks the second major creative commission for Bristol Light Festival’s 2026 edition.The full 2026 programme will be announced in early 2026, with installations curated to appeal to all ages - from family-friendly fun to ambient, reflective experiences. As always, admission is free and open to all.
The 2026 edition is the first to take place since Bristol’s city centre BIDs came together to form a single Bristol BID, representing over 1,000 businesses across Broadmead, Redcliffe & Temple and the wider city centre. Over the next five years, the unified BID will invest around £5.75 million into events, placemaking and culture, helping to support ambitious creative commissions such as this one.
Bristol Light Festival 2026 will run nightly from 5pm - 9.30pm* between Thursday 19 – Saturday 28 February 2026*. Admission is free and open to all. Accessibility information, travel advice and hotel packages will be available at www.bristollightfestival.org. Follow @bristollightfestival on Instagram and Facebook for sneak peeks, artist stories and behind-the-scenes content.
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