This year will be the last time that members of the public can follow the Winter Glow light route in Bruges during the festive season. The city of Bruges has decided not to organise the festival again after 2025. But Bruges wants to bring the festival to a close, while it is still a success. Unfortunately, many locals have come to see the large crowds the festival attracts as a bit of a drag.
In recent years, the 3-kilometre light route brought millions of visitors to Bruges. During the festive season, the city is full of magical light installations. Last year alone, the festival attracted 340,000 visitors to the city.
But the upcoming edition, from 21 November to 4 January, will be the last. The city council has decided to shelve the concept after seven wholly successful years.
‘For years the light experience route attracted many people to our city, but sooner or later every formula wears a bit thin,’ explains Mayor Dirk De fauw. ‘Many locations on the route have already been used several times and we cannot continue to innovate within the existing concept.’
Locals see the large crowds as 'a bit of a nuisance'
Moreover, the huge success of the walk also has a downside: ‘The walk passes through neighbourhoods that normally see few tourists. So many people in the streets, so many evenings in a row, that weighs on people. People sometimes ask: “Is that really necessary?”.’
Bruges is now working on an alternative to the light trail. ‘It’s going to be a fire show, like we did on the Burg square a while ago. It is now up to charity Brugge Plus to work out the details and decide, for example, whether we can extend this concept to different locations and whether we will organise it on one or more days.’