As the cold season settles over the Netherlands and the days grow shorter, cities across the country start planning to come alive with light. Starting November (and even October in some cases), canals are shimmering with illuminated art installations, historic streets glow under creative projections and people set out for long walks after dark with much pleasure than before. Light festivals have become very popular in recent years, and are seen as one of the most enchanting traditions of the season. They turn the darkness into a canvas for imagination, inviting people to explore, wander, and see familiar places in a new light.
Last updated: August 2026.
Winter 2026–2027 at a glance:
- Alkmaar Light Festival — 29 to 31 October 2026 (ticket)
- GLOW Eindhoven — 7 to 14 November 2026 (free)
- Amsterdam Light Festival — 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027 (free to walk)
- Enschede Lights Up — 10 to 13 December 2026 (free)
- Gouda bij Kaarslicht — Friday 11 December 2026 (free)
- Dwaalspoor, Dordrecht — December into early January (free)
- Zuiderzeelicht, Enkhuizen — December, dates to be confirmed (ticket)
- De Lumineuze Nachten, Kasteel de Haar — winter, dates to be confirmed (ticket)
- I Light U, Utrecht — 8 January to 7 February 2027 (free)
Some festivals had not published their 2026 dates when I updated this page, so check before you travel. I will keep this list up to date as they are announced.
Here are nine light festivals to see this winter in the Netherlands
1. Amsterdam Light Festival
The most famous of all, and probably the one that started this fashion, Amsterdam Light Festival brings art to the city centre, illuminating the canals and historic houses. This winter is the fifteenth edition, marking fifteen years of light art in the city, and the festival has promised a brand new route through Amsterdam. The theme had not been announced when I updated this page. Artworks are positioned along the canals, beside them and occasionally even in the water.
You can see the festival on foot, by boat, or by bike, and there is an app that you can install to make it easier to move around and not miss anything. Visiting the festival is free, but if you want to book a boat, you have to buy a ticket.
When: from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027.
More info about it: Amsterdam Light Festival — and I have a full guide to it here.
2. GLOW Festival in Eindhoven
This one has a nostalgic touch for me because I first went there in 2018, and it was such a wonderful experience! Back then, the festival was still at its beginnings, and not many people were visiting. Even on a rainy night, we had so much fun and discovered the city in a completely different light.
This year, GLOW returns for its 21st edition. This year’s theme is CONNECT, about encounter and connection between people, technology and environment, and the festival opens with a drone show at the Philips Stadion. It is a fitting theme for a city where light has always meant more than lighting, since Eindhoven is known as The City of Light. It earned that name as the home of the first Dutch match factory and the original Philips light bulb factory. But that light also symbolises the city’s ongoing spirit of innovation in technology and design.
The route takes you through the city centre and can be found on the festival’s website. GLOW also runs beyond Eindhoven, with artworks in Best, Helmond, Oirschot, Veldhoven and Lieshout.
Access to the festival is free.
When: from 7 to 14 November 2026.
More info about it: GLOW Eindhoven
3. Alkmaar Light Festival
A recent addition to the city’s cultural calendar, the Alkmaar Light Festival brings sparkle and joy to the historic city centre, the waterfront, and the modern area of Oudorp, following a six-kilometre route.In 2026 it is expected from 29 to 31 October — worth checking the festival site before you go, as the dates were not confirmed on it when I updated this page. Visitors can admire video and light art by national and international artists, (musical) theatre performances, and both professional and local acts.
Access to the festival is by ticket.
More info about it: Alkmaar Light Festival
4. Enschede Lights Up
This festival takes place in the city centre from 10 to 13 December 2026, with the lights on between 5 and 10 p.m. and the route starting at the Tourist Info on Langestraat. You can expect a variety of light art, from mappings and projections to immersive installations. The theme for this edition had not been published when I updated this page. Entrance is free.
More info about it: Enschede Lights Up
This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra costs to you.
5. I Light U in Utrecht
This exhibition showcases the work of national and international light artists throughout the station area in Utrecht, along a route of about 2 kilometres. The next edition takes place from 8 January to 7 February 2027, with the artworks lit between 5 and 11 p.m.
There’s no fixed route and no entry fee.
More info about it: I Light U
6. Zuiderzeelicht in Zuiderzeemuseum Enkhuizen
The open-air museum in Enkhuizen hosts a magical light experience each December: Zuiderzeelicht (Zuiderzee Light). For a few weeks around Christmas, the museum opens its gates for special evenings filled with light and storytelling, bringing life to the old streets that are usually quiet after dark.
The Zuiderzeemuseum is dedicated to preserving the history of life around the Zuiderzee (Southern Sea), before it was closed off from the North Sea by the impressive Afsluitdijk. The open-air section of the museum recreates historic villages, with houses transported from across the region and rebuilt here in full, including churches, schools, shops, and workshops. What makes Zuiderzeelicht truly special is the chance to see these old buildings illuminated, the streets coming alive, and the stories of people from long ago brought back to life.
Access: tickets are required for this event.
When: December into early January — the 2026 dates had not been published when I updated this page.
More info about it: Zuiderzeelicht
7. Gouda bij Kaarslicht – Gouda by Candlelight
This is not a festival, but a beautiful tradition in Gouda, a moment you can share with the locals. Since 1956, the city has gathered to light up the Christmas tree, which is donated each year by its sister city, Kongsberg in Norway. Cutting down the tree that will be sent to Gouda is an important ceremony in Kongsberg, often attended by the mayor and local schoolchildren, who sing songs and toast marshmallows around a campfire.
Over the years, a few other Christmas events have been added to this tradition in Gouda, but the most beloved moment has always been when the electric lights in the market square are turned off and 1,500 candles glow behind the windows of the town hall, with fire guards stationed in every room of the old building to keep it safe.
This year is different. The town hall is under scaffolding for renovations until the middle of 2027, so for the 71st edition both the ceremony and the Christmas tree move to De Waag, the seventeenth-century weigh house on the Markt. The organisers say more people will actually have a clear view of the tree and the stage from there. It does mean the candlelit town hall windows will not be part of it this time.
In 2026, Gouda by Candlelight takes place on Friday 11 December, with the ceremony at the tree at 7:00 PM.
More info about it: Gouda bij Kaarslicht
8. De Lumineuze Nachten (The Luminous Nights) at Kasteel De Haar
De Haar Castle is the largest castle in the Netherlands, looking straight out of a fairy tale, with its gorgeous gates, drawing bridges, moats and towers and its location in the middle of a large park, with lakes, rose gardens and forests. De Lumineuze Nachten offers a unique experience: the castle grounds are illuminated and come alive with stories told through colourful projections. They call it ”the largest open-air cinema in the Netherlands”.
The walking route is about 2.2 kilometres and takes roughly 60–90 minutes, and more than 80,000 people came last winter. This is the fifth edition; the dates had not been published when I updated this page, but tickets go on sale on 4 September 2026. Entrance is by ticket.
More info about it: De Lumineuze Nachten
9. Dwaalspoor in Dordrecht
During the Dordrecht December days, there will be a route of around 1,5 km in the city centre, where you can walk along light art installations. The Dordtse Decemberdagen run from 11 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with the light route inside that window — check the exact dates on the site.
More info about it: Dwaalspoor
These are some of the biggest light festivals you can see in the Netherlands. You can visit just one or make a whole tour out of it, as they are a wonderful way to brighten the dark months. They remind us that winter doesn’t have to be gloomy, that it can also be full of colour, creativity, and warmth. So dress warmly, charge your phone for all those glowing photos, and let the lights guide you through the season!
If you are planning a whole season of it, have a look at the best things to do in the Netherlands in autumn for the months before the lights go on.
Stay tuned for more and follow Amsterdamian on Instagram and Facebook for more stories about life in the Netherlands, written by a real local, updated constantly.
Check out my photo book: Amsterdam Through the Seasons!
Love what you’re reading? Support my work with a small donation.
And share this post if you liked it!
