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Windsor's 1st Night Light festival will transform public spaces

Art Windsor-Essex, with the support from the Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Plan, is running the first ever Night Light festival. The festival will feature outdoor exhibitions with offsite displays at the Gallery at the Capitol and the Windsor International Aquatic & Training Centre.

This celebration of art and digital technology will take place from Sept. 18 to 20

Oliver Thompson · CBC News ·
An electronic artwork people are interacting with
Image of on of the installations that will be on view outside of AWE during Night Light 2025. The artwork is titled Splinter by Ottomata, a co-production of Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, Light Night Leeds (UK). (Lizzie Coombes)

Sculptures, interactive light displays, and textile artwork are just some of the features of a new Windsor festival happening this fall. 

Windsor will have its first Night Light festival in September 2025, as announced in a press conference today. 

The festival is being held by Art Windsor-Essex (AWE) and takes place from Sept. 18 to 20. 

"Over three magical nights, public spaces will come alive with interactive installations, breathtaking digital art, and luminous creations," Jennifer Matotek, the executive director of AWE, said in a press release. 

Boats with lights in a square
Image of one of the installations that will be on view outside of AWE during Night Light 2025. (QDSinternational. )

The festival will feature outdoor exhibitions with offsite displays at the Gallery at the Capitol and the Windsor International Aquatic & Training Centre.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to participate in workshops in partnership with Hackforge, where they can create their own wearable creative technology. 

The art on display will include both international and local exhibits.

Interactivity

Over three days the festival will feature different events for different audiences. 

These include AWE at Night Light on Sept. 18, a Night Light Party on Sept. 19 and a Family Day on Sept. 20. 

A woman stands at a pedestal making an announcement.
Jennifer Matotek announced the first Night Light festival. (Jason Viau/CBC)

Matotek said the festival's genesis came from being asked by the public when Windsor will get its own version of Toronto's Nuit Blanche. 

"If we're going to do something like that, it should be a unique Windsor version of that," she says. "The idea of activating public space, seeing downtown in a new way [and] celebrating all the new kinds of art that's being made today." 

The event is supported by the Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Plan. 

A woman speaks to the press.
Stephanie Campo is associate vice-president of stakeholder and community relations at the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. (Jason Viau/CBC)

Stephanie Campo is associate vice-president of stakeholder and community relations at the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. She said the Night Light festival "ticked all the boxes" in terms of their community benefits plan. 

"It's a downtown event that offers opportunities both for residents as well as businesses," Campo said. 

The outdoor exhibitions themselves will be on display from September 1 until September 25. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Oliver Thompson

Oliver Thompson is a writer, producer and musician. Originally from the UK, where he worked for the BBC, Oliver moved to Canada in 2018.

    With files from Jason Viau

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