Christmas at Bute Park has closed its doors after another jam-packed festive season that saw visitors flocking to enjoy the spectacular light display.
Despite having to temporarily close due to flooding two days after its original opening date – and again for a day due to Storm Darragh’s high winds – 96,788 guests enjoyed the spectacular display at the award-winning event, with a re-imagined route of all new installations created by a selection of world-class artists and designers.
Roxy Robinson, Creative Director at From the Fields, the team behind Christmas at Bute Park, said: “With Christmas at Bute Park in its 4th year, we are over the moon to have been welcomed back so warmly by the people of Cardiff and those who travelled from miles around! We even managed to spot a few famous faces in the crowds this year.
“Despite some challenges with the weather, our crew worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure visitors enjoyed the wonderful illuminations. It was an absolute pleasure to bring the magic of Christmas to Bute Park once again and to have sold so many tickets is incredible – now we can’t wait to come and do it all again next year.”
This year’s trail proved a big hit with a host of celebrities including Radio 2’s new breakfast host Scott Mills, who visited with his Celebrity Race Across the World companion and husband Sam Vaughan as well as Welsh winner of The Great British Bake Off Georgie Grasso, Welsh footballers Aaron Ramsey and Sophie Ingles, singer Sophie Evans and Paralympian Livvy Breen.
They were treated to a vast array of light displays, including Mycelium Network a huge, fibre-optic network of festive fungi which led visitors through a colour-changing carpet of glowing mushrooms, Laser Garden, an all-encompassing green laser display and Crisial, designed as part of the Ignite Cymru scheme, which featured a sunning array of dazzling and glowing crystal pipes.
Another gorgeous installation was Portal – 12 infinity mirror light displays placed along the path, each creating the illusion of infinite lights. These were also created by Ignite Cymru, a project run by Christmas at Bute Park with support from Welsh Government to help develop skills among local creatives.
End Of The Rainbow, designed by Ithaca Studios, brought to life two enormous, 400-year-old trees at Bute Park, carefully adorning them with over 4800 dazzling individual lights and this year was also the first to welcome back one of the favourite installations from previous years as flagged by audiences. Rivers of Light was a reimagining of Sea of Light. In the shadow of Cardiff Castle, a dozen rivers of light flowed across the ground in an epic, immersive display.
Organisers worked with Togather Events to bring new local traders to the light trail this year, ensuring people’s appetite were as full as their festive spirit. Food lovers had the chance to sample highly acclaimed gourmet burgers, fries, shakes and sides from Cardiff-based Smokin’ Griddle and Italian beef Chicago-style sandwiches from Packed Sandwiches.
Also, for the very first time, there was a brilliant new addition – the Bute Park Tavern – a brand-new cosy heated Alpine wooded cabin where guests could enjoy a hot or festive drink while taking in the twinkling surroundings.
This year, the event also donated over 1,200 tickets to local food banks, hospices, schools and disability organisations, and worked closely with Cardiff City Hospice. Through its work with Cardiff City Hospice, the Christmas at Bute Park team took part in the charities Light Up a Life scheme, which provides support to bereaved families at a difficult time of year.
Christmas at Bute Park will be back next year, returning in November 2025.
