Clarens Festival Of Lights

Name: Clarens Festival Of Lights
Address: Sandstone Gorge Estate , Bethlehem Road, Dihlabeng Municipality, Clarens, 9707, ZA
Telephone: +31614450227

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Clarens Festival Of Lights

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Bringing together art, community, sustainability, and storytelling.

The Clarens Festival of Lights will be a unique, sustainable, and educational light festival set to illuminate Clarens, Free State, South Africa, from 24-26 September 2026.

20/10/2026

✨ The call is out, and we’re starting early.

The Clarens Festival of Lights is already open for submissions for our 2027 edition. We’re looking for bold, imaginative artists who use light as a medium for storytelling, connection, and reflection; installations that captivate visually while speaking to themes like identity, community, inequality, sustainability, or transformation. Already have a light-based work? Show us that too.

Selected artists will present in the unique natural landscape of Clarens and join a growing platform connecting art, community upliftment, and long-term impact — with access to mentorship, visibility, and collaboration along the way.

Submit your idea now via the link in our bio. The official kick-off for the 2027 call happens live during our 2026 festival, but applications are open today.

See https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLSB-t-Wa289V36dLjXeqgXFnXuWLX8v058Y8_ZlwEtiow-A/viewform

18/10/2026

✨ A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS! ✨

Bringing the very first Clarens Festival of Lights to life was an ambitious idea, and it could not have happened without the organisations and businesses that believed in it with us.

To all our sponsors, funders and partners: thank you for your trust, your support and your willingness to be part of something new.

Your contribution helped us fill Clarens with light, art, music, science, creativity and shared experiences, and, most importantly, helped us create a festival that brought people together.

Supporting a first edition means believing in an idea before you know exactly what it will become. We are incredibly grateful that you took that journey with us.

16/10/2026

✨ THE ARTISTS WHO LIT UP OUR FIRST EDITION ✨

Every festival starts with a first group of artists who say yes, who believe in the idea, take a chance and help shape what it can become.

This carousel celebrates the light installations and the artists behind them who participated in the very first edition of the Clarens Festival of Lights.

Each artist brought their own ideas, creativity and perspective to Clarens, transforming spaces through light and giving our visitors something to discover, experience, photograph, talk about and remember.

To all our participating artists: thank you for trusting us with your work and for becoming part of the very beginning of this festival.❤️

You will always be the artists who helped us switch on the lights for the first time.

Here’s to the first edition, and to many more artists, ideas and lights still to come. ✨

Swipe through to revisit the installations and meet the artists who made them possible.

15/10/2026

✨ THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR FIRST EDITION! ✨

What an incredible few days. To everyone who joined us for the very first Clarens Festival of Lights, thank you!

Thank you for showing up, exploring the festival, experiencing the artworks, joining the activities, dancing to the music, asking questions, sharing your feedback and, most importantly, embracing something completely new.

Launching a new festival is always a leap into the unknown, and the warmth, enthusiasm and support we received from visitors, the Clarens community and everyone involved meant more to us than we can say.

You helped turn this first edition into something truly special, and your feedback will help us make the festival even better in the years ahead.

Thank you for welcoming the Clarens Festival of Lights with open arms. ❤️✨

We hope you enjoyed the journey as much as we did.

14/10/2026

✨ WHAT A WAY TO OPEN THE FESTIVAL! ✨

One of the most special moments of our first Clarens Festival of Lights was seeing the Lantern Parade make its way through Clarens on opening night, bringing everyone together as we headed towards the Square of Lights.

A huge thank you to the wonderful children of Clarens Primary School for being part of this moment and helping us bring so much light, energy and joy to the streets. 🏮❤️

And then came the opening of the Square of Lights, the lights came on, the music started, and before long people were dancing together under the artworks. Seeing the Square filled with people, music, movement and light was exactly the kind of atmosphere we had dreamed of when we started this festival.

Thank you to everyone who walked with us, danced with us and celebrated the beginning of this new festival.

We will remember that first night for a very long time. ✨

13/10/2026

✨ A HUGE THANK YOU! ✨

The first edition of the Clarens Festival of Lights would simply not have been possible without the incredible people behind it.

To all our volunteers: thank you for your energy, your time, your smiles, your flexibility and for stepping in wherever you were needed. You were the hands, feet and heart of this festival. ❤️

To our core team: thank you for believing in this crazy idea from the beginning and for the many months of hard work, long days, late nights, problem-solving and determination it took to bring this first edition to life.

And a very special thank you to Tixsa for your fantastic support, especially your hands-on help on site throughout the festival. Having you there made a real difference.

We created this first edition together, and we truly hope to see all of you back again next year as we continue to grow the Clarens Festival of Lights.

Thank you for helping us bring the light to Clarens. See you in 2027! ✨

26/09/2026

🌧️✨ RAIN OR SHINE — THE FESTIVAL IS ON! ✨🌧️

Rain is predicted for today, but don’t let a few drops stop the magic! The Clarens Festival of Lights is still on, with a full programme waiting for you.

So grab your raincoat, poncho or umbrella, dress warmly and come enjoy the final day with us. ☔✨

WHAT’S ON TODAY SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER?

🎤 This morning from 10:30 — Final Spotlight Sessions at the Square of Lights.

🎬 16:00 — Clarens Cinema: When the Light Changes
📍 Protea Hotel Clarens

⚽🏐 17:00 — CFoL Cup Finals of our Soccer & Netball Cup!

🌙🔭 18:00 — Reflections of Wonder at Andes Cafè with Clarens Stargazing Tours.

🚲✨ 18:15 — Ride the Light
Light up your bike and ride through Clarens!

🎶 from 19:00 — WOMAD LIVE! at the Square of Lights
We close the festival with a fantastic night of live music at the Square. Come celebrate the final evening with us!

🌧️ A little rain. A lot of light. ✨

Bring your umbrella, bring your raincoat, and most importantly, bring your festival spirit!

24/09/2026

📅 Ticket Availability Update!

Sept 24: 🔴 SOLD OUT — Thank you!

Sept 25: ⚡ ONLY 1 TICKET LEFT — Grab it before it's gone!

Sept 26: 🟢 Spots available — Reserve your place now!

🎟️ Get Yours: Tickets are available online or at the entrance starting at 10:00 AM.

23/09/2026

TOMORROW. 🎆

Gates open 10:00, the Lantern Parade & Official Opening kicks off at 18:00 (arrive 18:15 for the 18:30 start), and Live on Stage: The Best of Clarens closes out the night at 20:00. Grab your Tixsa tickets now and bring Tappy for wireless payments; see you at the Square of Lights!

Address

Sandstone Gorge Estate , Bethlehem Road, Dihlabeng Municipality
Clarens
9707

Telephone

+31614450227

Website

http://www.clarensfestivaloflights.co.za/

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