The world’s largest Light Art Run
COPENHAGEN LIGHT FESTIVAL
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
FEB. 9. 2025
LENGTH: 4:04
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STORY
The world’s largest Light Art Run just took place during the Copenhagen Light Festival.
1,300 runners in light chains took off, becoming a moving light artwork as they ran among the installations.
The runners passed 16 light installations in Copenhagen’s historic harbor area.
The main route covered 7 km, while a special 3 km route was available for families with children.
Copenhagen Light Festival features more than 50 light installations—more than any other light festival in Europe.
The Light Run is also the largest in Denmark.
The light installations are created by both established and emerging light artists.
Taking place during the quiet and cold winter darkness, Copenhagen Light Festival brings light art to the night.
Most installations are placed along the harbor, while others are found in residential areas, transforming everyday spaces with new energy.
It becomes a celebration of neighborhoods, squares, facades, bridges, and hidden corners in an engaging way.
The festival also hosts a Silent Disco, where street parties take place without noise.
Families can take part in treasure hunts, where finding 15 light artworks earns a free warm drink.
Guided tours are available with experts—by boat in the harbor or even combined with beer tastings, with or without alcohol.
Every year, more than 400,000 people visit the festival, making it one of Denmark’s largest free events.
The festival runs for three weeks in February, in all kinds of weather, making it truly unique.
The festival ends on February 23, but the Light Run and all events return every year in February.
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SHOTLIST
- DRONE: Race starts
- CLOSE-UP: Start line with people running
- DRONE: Runners near the canal
- LIGHT RUNNERS: On bridge
- RUNNERS: Passing light artwork “Aura”
- DRONE: Runners and light artwork “The Weather Report”
- DRONE: Runners and light artwork “Sparks Will Fly”
- RUNNERS: Running towards light artwork “The Wave”
- SOUNDBITE: Jesper Kongshaug, Organizer, 67
“The fact that they’re moving light sources gives another twist to it, because what we have been doing is, of course, precision, and now all these positions become relative to the people moving. So it’s a really good dimension to everything that is added today. And people are happy. I couldn’t hear anything else but people being so happy and safe.”
- RUNNERS: Passing light artwork “Waves of Change”
- RUNNERS: Chanting while running
- DRONE: Runners with light artwork in the background
- FIRST RUNNERS: Running at Nyhavn
- RUNNERS: Crossing the finish line
- SOUNDBITE: Søren Frost, Runner, 60
“It was great, man. Great. Great to run for, great race with everybody running with all their lights, their groove. And it was a new way to see our city. Great. I’ll do it again next year, definitely.”
- RUNNER: With many lights on his body, smiling
- SOUNDBITE: Vanessa Vega Saenz, Runner 54
“It was great. I just feel happy. Running with 1,200 people and everybody’s smiling. And the people who are not running are smiling too. So I really think this contributes to happiness in Copenhagen, my city. I love it.”
- THREE RUNNERS: Cheering
- SOUNDBITE: Vanessa Vega Saenz, Runner, 54 cont.
“Yeah. You know, Copenhagen, Denmark—it’s very dark during the winter. So when you reach February, you’re just dying to see some light. And then to have a three-week-long festival with lights and light installations, and then a run like this where everybody is completely lit up—it’s just very good, I guess.”
- VANESSA & SØREN: Smiling
- STROMMA BOAT: Sailing on the Copenhagen canal with light artwork “Artificial” projected on a building
- DRONE: Light artwork “The Sun”
- PEOPLE: Looking at light artwork “Les Étoiles” at Kongens Nytorv
- DRONE: People dancing with glowing headphones at “Silent Disco”
- PEOPLE: Dancing with glowing headphones at “Silent Disco”
- LIGHT ARTWORK: “Curtain Call”
- LIGHT ARTWORK: “Green Beam” projected from Frederiksberg Town Hall
- RK “Green Beam” seen shining over Copenhagen
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More info:
https://copenhagenlightfestival.org/en/
More video and stills:
Photos:
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Copenhagen%20Light%20Festival%20-%20Stills%20-%202025