toronto light festival 2019

Toronto's spectacular Distillery District light festival is coming back

Yo, Toronto Christmas Market, I'm really happy for you, and Imma let you finish, but I just have to say... the Toronto Light Festival does the best Distillery District takeover of all time.

And lucky for those of us who like pretty lights more than lining up for BeaverTails, it'll be here as of January 18.

That's right, the Toronto Light Festival is coming back for its third consecutive year next month to fill the Distillery District with all things vibrant and bright during winter's darkest stretch.

The completely free, months-long exhibition of light art will run until March 3 and, as usual, promises plenty of great photo ops.

"In a world with so many dark and ominous messages, we want to create a positive, magical urban world that people of all ages and backgrounds will enjoy and look forward to," write the event's organizers (who, in case you think I'm throwing shade, also run the Toronto Christmas Market).

"Simply put, we want to help transform a moment of consciousness, from the cold of the dark into the warmth of the light (even if it can reach -20 C)," reads a description on the Toronto Light Festival website.

"Oh, and we really, really like pretty lights."

Who doesn't?

No word yet on which artists have been tapped or are returning for the occasion, but organizers do say this year's festival will "exhibit the creativity of local and international artists through Light Art."

So, grab your mittens and get ready for the experience. It's free to enjoy every day from sundown until 10 p.m. (and even later on weekends) starting January 18.

Lead photo by

Hector Vasquez


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