Light run on snow in the cold at Copenhagen Light Festival

Light run on snow in the cold at Copenhagen Light Festival

8 february 2026
Copenhagen

Denmark

Length: 04:26

Source/Credit: Copenhagen light Festival 

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STORY

Around 1,000 runners took part in the Light Run at the Copenhagen Light Festival, a night race where participants dressed in lights and moved through – and became part of – illuminated artworks across the Danish capital.

 

With snow covering large parts of the course, runners experienced an unusual winter night race in what organisers describe as the world’s largest and only recurring art light run. The event combined sport, public space and contemporary light art, guiding participants through large-scale light installations and illuminated urban settings. Last year’s edition was also Denmark’s largest light run.

The race began in central Copenhagen and offered two distances: a 7.5-kilometre route and a shorter 3-kilometre run aimed at younger participants and recreational runners.

 

All participants were given light chains and encouraged to wear illuminated costumes. Prizes included warming drinks, hotel stays and free entry to next year’s event, which will mark the 10th edition of the Copenhagen Light Festival.

 

Organisers said that from next year the event will introduce official timekeeping for elite runners, alongside its existing social and recreational formats.

Now in its ninth year, the Copenhagen Light Festival has expanded significantly since its launch with 16 artworks. The current edition features more than 45 light installations across the city.

 

The festival offers routes for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, including metro connections linking installations spread across Copenhagen. Organisers have also introduced a game element here, where visitors who locate a set number of installations are rewarded with prizes such as hot chocolate or a warming drink.

 

With more than 45 light installations, the Copenhagen Light Festival is the world’s only light festival to present an outdoor programme of this scale during the darkest and coldest winter months – according to all available information.

 


The festival runs until February 22.
End

SHOT

  • TWO LIGHT RUNNERS IN POSE BEFORE RUN STARTS
  • LIGHT RUNNERS BEGIN THE RUN
  • LIGHT RUNNERS BESIDE THE LIGHT WORK THE WAVE (Vertigo (DK)
  • DRONE OF LIGHT RUNNERS AT NYHAVN
  • LIGHT RUNNERS IN NYHAVN
  • LIGHT RUNNERS NEAR THE HARBOUR 
  • LIGHT RUNNERS WITH LIGHTS ILLUMINATING THEM
  • LIGHT RUNNERS NEAR GIANT LIGHTWORK ON BUILDING, LOST AND FOUND IN TIMES OF WAR (Jakob Fälling & Ole Samsøe – DK)
  • DOG RUN WITH THE LIGHT RUNNERS
  • LIGHT RUNNER REACH THE END LINE
  • LIGHT RUNNER WITH PIXIE OUTFIT
  • VOX-POP Kristel Dam, hotel director & Dina Johansen, customer service at protesekompagniet.
    Kristel Dam, hotel director:
    “It was really, really good. You know we were a bit afraid.
    Dina Johansen: There’s a lot of ice, you know?
    Yes. And it was a little rough and so on. But, it was amazing. Really amazing. Yeah. Yes. We love the winter. And, you know, the ice inside Copenhagen,,
    Dina Johansen: And all the light.
    Yes. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”
  • DRONE OF LIGHT RUNNERS NEAR THE ROYAL PLAYHOUSE
  • LIGHT RUNNERS NEAR THE ROYAL PLAYHOUSE
  • DRONE OF LIGHT RUNNERS AT NYHAVN
  • LIGHT RUNNERS IN NYHAVN
  • LIGHT RUNNERS WITH THE LIGHTWORK BÅD (BOAT) IN THE BACKGROUND (Hans E. Madsen – Danmark)
  • VOX-POP Camilla Jensen, secretary, 43:“Because it’s fun and really pretty, and I tried it last year and I thought it was an experience, so I invited a friend this year.”
  • LIGHT RUNNERS SMILE AND POSE FOR THE CAMERA
  • LIGHT RUNNERS MINGLE
  • SOUNDBITE Jesper Kongshaug. Co-founder:
    “I think the light run today was really amazing and with the ice and snow really supporting the story about the light festival in the worst season.
    I think the line run today was really a success. People from the city came, people from abroad came running through the Lightworks and connecting the people with the Lightworks and the arts and everything. Really nice and warming experience. Thank you.“
  • LIGHT RUNNERS BESIDE THE LIGHT WORK THE WAVE (Vertigo (DK)
  • LIGHT RUNNERS ON INDERHAVNSBROEN
  • LIGHT RUNNERS NEAR THE HARBOUR WITH THE GREEN BEAM (Båll & Brand – Danmark) IN THE BACKGROUND
  • CHILD FLIPS LIGHTWORK LØØP (Agata Terpińska – PL)
  • LIGHT RUNNERS WITH LIGHTS ON NEAR THE HARBOUR
  • LIGHT RUNNERS NEARING FINISHING LINE
  • LIGHT RUNNERS CHEER WHILE CROSSING FINISHING LINE
  • CLOSE UP OF LIGHT RUNNERS NEAR FINISH LINE
  • LIGHT RUNNERS GATHER AT THE STANDS AT THE FINISH LINE
  • MALE LIGHT RUNNER SMILES AT CAMERA
  • FEMALE LIGHT RUNNER SMILES AT CAMERA
  • LIGHT RUNNERS WITH LIGHT CAPES POSE
  • LIGHTWORK OCCUPIED (Elisabeth Holager Lund & Maria Gyllenhoff // Scenograferne+ – Danmark)
  • LIGHTWORK SENTINEL (Studio Vertigo – ​U​K)
  • LIGHTWORK THE WAVE (Vertigo (DK))
  • LIGHTWORK BÅD (Hans E. Madsen – Danmark) WITH LIGHTWORK TALE OF TWISTED TAILS IN THE BACKGROUND (Mads Vegas – ​D​K)

END