Light Ride and cycle cinema to feature at this year’s Light Night Leeds

The celebrations associated with Light Night Leeds will this year include an illuminated ride down the city’s Cycle Superhighway as part of the opening procession. There will also be a cycle cinema, where people will be able to hop on cycle generators to power their viewing.

Leeds’ biggest free annual arts event will take place over two nights this year, Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October from 6-11pm.

Thursday will see the ‘Light Triathlon’, a triathlon-themed procession in which people from all over the city will walk, run and cycle along the Headrow in Leeds City Centre. A lantern parade will lead things off with a group of runners and cyclists participating in the Light Ride joining up with them.

Run by local cycling organisation CityConnect, the Light Ride will see 50 cyclists decorated in glow sticks, lights and lit-up carnival costumes riding from Stanningley Fire Station along the Cycle Superhighway. The carnival costumes have been designed and made by local artist Tim Curtis and will be fitted to the bikes. Participants helped decorate the costumes in reflective and light-up materials prior to the event.

CityConnect representatives will be on Oxford Row, next to the courts, on both nights, where they will be giving away light-up accessories to help riders stay visible in the dark. They will also be hosting a pedal-powered cinema there on the Friday where members of the public will be encouraged to get pedalling.

The group is keen for people to arrive to Light Night by bike and will be offering free, secure, staffed bike parking until 10.30pm on both nights.