Close to record - and a success for the children theme

This year’s figures for the number of visitors to Lights in Alingsås is close to the record, but it was the activities for children which characterized this year’s success.

“The children’s activities exceeded everyone’s expectations and it’s almost certain that we’ll be having a similar event next year,” says project leader Angelica Larsson.

When we started to look at the figures for the Lights in Alingås festival 2017, the results were positive. We found that this year the number of visitors totaled around 80,000 which is close to previous years’ records.

” The fact that the light festival attracts so many visitors to Alingsås year after year is fantastic. Sometimes we need to pinch ourselves to help us realise just how big it is, especially this year when the weather hasn’t exactly been on our side,” comments Angelica.

What has been especially memorable in the light festival this year has been the children’s element.

Malin Wallin’s light creation for children at the playground at Prinsparken attracted a lot of children and has been one of the things about which the festival team has received most positive responses.

So positive in fact that it has already been decided that, one way or another, the concept will feature in next year’s festival too. The same applies to Children’s Lights, which involved lots of activities at Åmanska Parken, and attracted hundreds of children. Indeed, there were so many that the 600 small vests which were given out had all gone during the first hour.

” The response we got was really great and is in line with our ambitions to involve the whole family.. And that also applies to our partners, which this year includes Sparbanken Alingsås, Alingsås municipality and Alingsås Energi to name a few”, adds Angelica.

Next year, ownership of Lights in Alingsås will be transferred to Alingsås Energi,and currently a lot of hard work is going into developing and enhancing the festival within the new organizational structure.

The children’s perspective is undoubtedly something that we will see more of, and it is quite possible that another age group will also receive more focus - namely older people.

” More seniors took trips on the Lights train than we had estimated, and it proved really popular. One of the guides told us that after one of the trips a lady remained in her seat, even though her teeth were chattering as it was quite cold than evening. But she didn’t want to get off and instead started chanting, “One more time, one more time….” Facts and figures are all very well, but this sort of thing is heart-warming,” adds Angelica. 

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