Sixth edition of Winter Glow festival illuminates Bruges

The sixth edition of the winter festival Winter Glow, or Wintergloed in Dutch, is kicking off on Friday in Bruges. There will again be a light experience trail in Bruges’ city centre, this time around the theme “Fire and ice”. Visitors can also again enjoy the ice skating rink, winter bar and two Christmas markets.

For the sixth year in a row, the winter festival Winter Glow illuminates the city centre of Bruges with a trail of light experiences. Along the new route of three kilometres, visitors discover ten light installations, all around the theme of “Fire and ice”. These can be admired every evening from 5.30 pm.

A rising sun behind the statue of Jan van Eyck for example brings the famous Flemish painter back to life. The waters of the Augustijnenrei, usually so calm, have been transformed into the temporary nesting place of a majestic phoenix. In Snaggaardstraat, needles of ice swirl down from the trees.

“The walk is situated in the St Anne’s district this time, a traffic-free district where visitors can quietly admire the installations,” explained alderman Franky Demon. The light experience trail attracted 570,000 visitors last year and due to its great success, extra stewards needed to be deployed to cope with the crowds. “We have learnt from last year's experience and are now deploying stewards preventively,” said Demon.

After this long walk, visitors can also visit the Market Square for a traditional Christmas market or the Simon Stevinplein for a market with craft products. At Minnewater Park, visitors can skate on the artificial ice rink or have a drink at the Winter Bar Vorst.

Winter Glow runs until 5 January.

^{#FlandersNewsService | People attending the winter festival Winter Glow in Bruges, in 2020 © BELGA PHOTO MAAIKE TIJSSENS}