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Essen Light Festival Closes After 10 Days With Six-Figure Crowds Reported

Organizers reported robust closing-night attendance reflecting widespread enthusiasm for the free installations.

Overview

  • The 10th edition concluded on October 12 after nightly displays transformed central Essen.
  • Organizers reported more than 150,000 visitors over the final three evenings, while an estimate shared with WAZ put the weekend total at 300,000–400,000.
  • Stormy weather and rain prompted temporary shutdowns of some works during the run, but the final nights benefited from milder conditions.
  • Seventeen free installations spanned sites from Willy-Brandt-Platz to the Colosseum-Theater, with crowd favorites including Evanescent at Burgplatz, Platz der Wünsche, and the Fractions mapping at the Grillo-Theater.
  • Visitor feedback was strongly positive, including a first-time attendee who told an EMG Instagram interviewer he had never seen anything like it.