Thursday 1 December – Saturday 17 December
The culmination of Reading 2016, Reading’s Year of Culture, will see many of Reading’s landmark buildings illuminated in a unique trail of light around the town over 17 days of December.
Light Up Reading is creating 11 installations and light events in the town centre as the finale of Reading 2016 and a great addition to Reading’s Christmas celebrations. The trail includes The Thames Tower High Striker, a fairground-style interactive lighting of the 15 storey building in front of Reading Station; two installations in M&G’s 3 Forbury Place, the illumination of the Abbey Ruins, pedal powered film nights, an illuminated bridge and new life for the Oracle’s famous beacon.
Get the app
Peter Brett Associates have developed an app featuring all 11 illuminations and other Christmas festivities in Reading. Get the app.
The trail of illuminations
Some of the illuminations will be lit up throughout the 17 days, while others will special events in that period. See times and dates for each illumination.
An audience with Father Christmas– 3 December, 10am / procession from Jackson’s Corner 4:45pm
Broad Street (outside Sainsbury’s). Sponsored by Reading Buses, rlab and Jelly
Come and meet the wonderful Father Christmas and ask him all the questions that you have ever had, before he heads off to the
Make Reading Christmas Grotto. He will be arriving by lit up bus onto Broad Street. Workshops to make lanterns and be part of a 
procession are listed on www.jelly.org.uk
Movie night on bikes – 16 & 17 December, 6-8pm
Broad Street Mall market place, Hosier Street. Sponsored by Real Time
Real Time provide the films, Reaction provide the bikes and you provide the leg power. Join us to watch a film, entirely powered by your legs.
Box of Hopes – 1 – 17 December, 9am – 6pm
3 Forbury Square Lobby, Forbury Road. Sponsored by M&G
What are your hopes and dreams for the future? And what about our children? An innovative lighting project captures their hopes and dreams in an illuminated cube. Inspired by Light Collective, brought to life by Stuart Melrose.
Northern Lights – 1-17 December, 6pm – 8pm
3 Forbury Square, Forbury Road. Sponsored by M&G
The Northern Lights all the way from Iceland make their mark on Reading. If you look up, you will see a small replica of the lights at the very top of the building. Designed by Xavier Fulbright.
The Abbey Ruins – 1-17 December, 6pm-7pm
Chestnut Walk. Sponsored by Yes Events and Reading UK CIC
See the Abbey Ruins in a new light. As the work starts on locating Henry I among the ruins, take a moment to enjoy the beauty of the old Abbey at night and celebrate this piece of nationally important local heritage
The Abbey 3D Experience – 12 – 16 December, 6pm – 8pm
Town Hall Square. Sponsored by Reading College and Reading Museum
Come and explore the Abbey Ruins in 3D and find out about some of the artefacts that Reading Museum hold, where they were placed in the Abbey and what they were used for.
NEXUS – 1 – 17 December, 6pm – 8pm
Reading Station Forecourt. Sponsored by GWR
Designed by students from Reading UTC and supported by Peter Brett Associates, Stuart Melrose, Network Rail and Built with Corian by Du Pont by Cutting Edge. Interact with NEXUS and see how your surroundings change.
Light Up the Sky – 1-17 December, 5pm onwards
The Oracle Riverside. Sponsored by The Oracle
Rediscover the shopping centre’s famous beacon, as it is given a new lease of life to celebrate the Year of Culture and the Riverside’s new look to be unveiled in 2017. Designed by Stuart Melrose.
The Thames Tower High Striker – 1 – 17 December, 5pm – 8pm
Thames Tower, Reading Station Forecourt. Sponsored by Landid and Brockton Capital
Come and try your luck with Reading’s (if not the UK’s) tallest High Striker. Will you be able to get the light all the way to the top of the 15 floors? Designed by Stuart Melrose and brought to life by A.P.S.Ltd
Reading HotSpot – 1 – 17 December from 5pm
Christchurch Bridge. Sponsored by Thingitude and rlab
Sensing people on and around Reading’s new pedestrian bridge to create a unique flow of colour changes and interactions. Using the Things Network – an intriguing meld of art and technology. Designed by rlab.org.uk and thingitude.com
Fired Terracotta – 1,2,9,16 and 17 December, 7pm
Queen’s Road Car Park pedestrian bridge, River Kennet.
Encounter Reading’s favourite building material in a whole new light. 500 terracotta works installed and lit on the Queen’s Road car park pedestrian bridge. An installation linking clay, fire and water by Studio > I < in collaboration with art students from Reading College.
Thanks
Light Up Reading is sponsored by Landid and Brockton Capital, M&G, Reading Buses, rlab, jelly, Real Time, Thingitude, GWR, Reading College, Yes Events, Reading UK CIC and the Oracle with support from Peter Brett Associates, Stuart Melrose, Studio > I < , Reading College, Xavier Fulbright, Light Collective, Network Rail, Built with Corian by Du Pont by Cutting Edge, A.P.S. Ltd.
Where to find out more
Light Up Reading is a free event (s). Tickets are only required for An Audience with Father Christmas on 3 December.
Reading UK CIC has produced a Light Up Reading map guide which features the trail of Reading 2016 illuminations across the town centre. Copies can be picked up at libraries, hotels and leisure centres across Reading as well as railway stations in the Thames Valley. It can also be downloaded at www.livingreading.co.uk/christmas.