Let there be light!

The Lumiere festival came to London last weekend. It brightened up the bleak, dark January nights and brought a festival vibe to the city. About thirty artists and   creative studios participated in the event and installed artworks around the city. From a trumpeting elephant to fish in a phone box, the city was transformed into a surreal playground of illuminated creatures. Many roads were closed off to vehicles and it was a real novelty to stroll down streets that are usually chock-a-block with traffic. There was a great turn out and there definitely a real appetite for events like this. Like many other Londoners, I'm hoping that the lights will be back on next year!

Glossary

to brighten up  (phrasal verb)                    

To make something brighter

bleak  (adj.)                                                  

Cold and grey weather

vibe (noun)                                                    

Atmosphere

to install   (verb)                                          

To place something somewhere

trumpeting (adj)                                          

The noise an elephant makes

surreal (adj.)                                                

Strange and bizarre.

illuminated (adj.)                                          

Something that is made bright

to be closed off (phrasal verb)                    

To be closed

a novelty (noun)                                            

Something new

to stroll down  (phrasal verb)                      

To walk slowly and in a relaxed way

chock-a-block (adj)                                      

Completely full

a turnout (noun)