THE AMSTERDAM LIGHT FESTIVAL

When it came to finding unique traditions that Amsterdam had to offer, I was on top of it! I wanted to learn as much as I could about what this city had to offer. The Amsterdam Light Festival is a tradition that is held for 53 days straight annually, starting in late November and stretching all the way to early January. This festival's main goal is to illuminate the city's canals, alleys, streets, and landmarks with amazing art installations, sculptures, and even projections created by contemporary artists from around the globe. You can see these pieces by boat, bike, or foot!

This festival dates back all the way to the 1920s, when using light in artwork pieces was on the rise in popularity in Europe. Rogier van der Heide, Felix Guttmann, and Raymond Borsboom founded this festival in 2012, using light as inspiration, and fast forward to the first festival being held in 2012-2013. The theme of the festivals changes every year, allowing so many international and national artists to be a part of this awesome tradition. 

  

The theme of the 2023-2024 year was: LOADING...Revealing Art, AI, and Tech". I was so excited because the theme fit something I learn about on an everyday basis, and I was intrigued to see the pieces in real-time. 

I first noticed the lights on Thanksgiving Day funny enough, walking through the streets of Centraal feeling a bit homesick. I wasn't aware of this beautiful festival, so I was shocked and excited to see the shine of the lights. 

At this point of the year, Amsterdam started to get a bit colder, the sun became more and more rare, and the rain and wind storms became more frequent. I am a girl of summer, so a bit of seasonal depression started to set in. It is hard being so used to holidays like Thanksgiving and ones even as silly as Halloween being celebrated on such a large scale. I never really sat down and thought about the capitalization of it all in the US. Nonetheless, it gave me some hope of getting through the month of December, having something to celebrate and venture out in! 

                                          

A couple of friends and I planned to go see the Light Festival by boat, and thankfully our University VU was already one step ahead. They had booked a private boat for our program and another to get a private boat ride through the canals! It was an amazing experience, the weather was kind that day, and we were given beer wine, and cheese (the classic!) and enjoyed our hour cruise through the show. I am really glad I finished my abroad experience this way. Thank you for reading and I will see you in my next blog!

Bibliography: 

1. https://visiteurope.com/en/experience/amsterdam-light-festival/#:~:text=Every%20year%2C%20the%20city%20of,walking%20tour%20or%20bike%20tour.

2. https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=820aaa15062e62d5&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ADLYWIJzbuRkE1_WUIk8cfs-hJYSwtD3sg:1724250023007&q=theme+of+amsterdam+light+festival+2023&udm=2&fbs=AEQNm0Aa4sjWe7Rqy32pFwRj0UkWd8nbOJfsBGGB5IQQO6L3J5MIFhvnvU242yFxzEEp3BfblMs7eBu5zPnhtGsrETMyei1dUN8XCdtE6tzYkSMW5je6gJHMbu85xlRfdtmiGtbG_5-M7j0Qa2ukboExRfFBXPJvXYj-6FOuuyicdn8VQNezee_yFBwxH-q-TETjtBNEhwMYyJdEI_rgYSyXDFI4iuEtHg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1h4Dxo4aIAxX1rokEHfF8M30QtKgLegQIERAB&biw=727&bih=734&dpr=2

3. https://www.rogiervanderheide.com/about-rogier-van-der-heide/