London's dark January nights are set to be spectacularly illuminated once again as the Canary Wharf Winter Lights festival makes its highly anticipated return for 2026. This free event, now a landmark in the capital's cultural calendar, will transform the financial district into an open-air gallery of light and art for nearly two weeks.
Illuminating the 'Dreamscape'
Running from January 20th until January 31st, the festival will switch on its dazzling displays every evening from 5pm to 10pm. No tickets or pre-booking are required, making it an accessible treat for all. This year's edition promises to be particularly special, centred around the theme 'Dreamscape', which organisers describe as an exploratory journey into the surreal and ethereal.
Pippa Dale, an associate director at the Canary Wharf Group, reflected on the festival's decade-long evolution: "Winter Lights started as a glowing idea to brighten the dark January nights and bring joy through art to Londoners. Over the past decade, this idea has grown into one of the capital's most ambitious light art festivals, with this year's Dreamscape theme representing our boldest vision yet."
A Global Line-Up of Light Art
Visitors can explore 16 spectacular light installations created by acclaimed artists from across the globe, including the UK, Holland, France, and Palestine. The lineup features a captivating mix of neon, LED, and interactive projections, blending brand-new commissions with beloved returning pieces and permanent works.
The full 2026 display lineup includes:
- ‘FloWeЯ PoWeЯ’ by Aerosculpture/ Jean-Pierre David and Christian Thellier
- ‘In Bloom’ by Kumquat Lab
- ‘Aether’ by Architecture Social Club
- ‘Hulahoop’ by Scale
- ‘Out of Body Experience’ by Alaa Minawi
- ‘Lacto-Reacto-Light’ by Jack Wimperis
- ‘Trispheric Garden’ by REELIZE.STUDIO
- ‘For Ever and Ever and Ever’ by Anna Lomax
- ‘Sol’ by Artistic Latvia/ Janis Petersons
- ‘Blueprint’ by Studio Vertigo
- ‘Sanctuary’ by Ithaca Studio
- ‘Un-reel Access’ by KAPPA/ Patrick and Kaori Jones
- ‘Colour Rush’ by Liz West
- ‘Manifestation’ by Marcus Lyall
- ‘At the Hand’ by LACROIX
- ‘Amplititudes’ by Limbic Cinema
Planning Your Visit to the Winter Lights
With artworks scattered across the estate, the Canary Wharf Group estimates it takes between two to three hours to experience the entire trail. A map can be downloaded in January or collected from event stewards upon arrival, guiding you to all installations, toilets, and baby-changing facilities.
For the best experience, consider visiting on a weekday, as weekends tend to be extremely busy. From Monday to Wednesday, visitors can enjoy off-peak offers, including 20% off food from Winter Lights Bites traders and three hours of free parking with a £10 spend at Waitrose.
The event is fully accessible, with a dedicated accessible map available for download or as an A3 printout from the Info Point outside the Jubilee Line station. For specific details on each installation, speak to an on-site steward.
To ensure everyone's comfort and safety due to high attendance, visitors are asked to leave pushchairs, large bags, umbrellas, bicycles, scooters, and pets (excluding assistance animals) at home.
When hunger strikes, head to the Winter Lights Bites food stalls at Montgomery Square, Jubilee Park, and Union Square for global street food, from wood-fired pizzas and jerk chicken to Moroccan dishes and crêpes. Of course, Canary Wharf's hundreds of cafés, bars, and restaurants are also open.
Getting to the Festival
Canary Wharf is easily reached by multiple transport options:
- By tube or train: Alight at Canary Wharf station via the Jubilee Line, Elizabeth Line, or DLR.
- By bus: Routes D3, D7, D8, 135, 277 and N550 all serve the area.
- By boat: Arrive in style via Thames Clippers riverboats to Canary Wharf Pier.
Now in its eleventh year, the Winter Lights festival continues to be a beacon of creativity, offering a magical and completely free way to combat the winter blues and experience world-class art in the heart of London.
