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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Liv Clarke

Lightopia returns to Heaton Park with a new immersive musical display

Heaton Park will light up once more this festive season as Lightopia returns with colourful visual displays. This year’s festival promises to be better than ever with a new immersive audio-visual show forming part of the event.

To help families with rising living costs, the organisers of the festival have announced a new ticketing system this year. Off-peak tickets will be available on selected weekdays to make it cheaper for people to visit.

This year’s festival - A Christmas Story by Lightopia - is centred around new beginnings and the circle of life. Visitors will begin the trail at the Guardian Gate before being transported into a wonderland decorated by a blanket of shooting stars with the Essence of Light display.

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A path will lead people unto the Christmas realm, with giant luminous baubles, trees and presents. The Tranquillity Arch will feature vibrant swans and butterflies, while a path will wind through the Mythical Forest.

Then visitors will experience Lightopia’s most recent addition, the Phoenix. Here you will be immersed in a five minute audio-visual show with a captivating light display.

Lightopia returns to Heaton Park (Lightopia)

A mesmerising world will be created in the Secret Flower Garden with the park’s trees being lit up with plants wrapped round the branches. A specially designed display for children - the Book of Rebirth - includes friendly animated animals while a kid zone will feature interactive music tiles for people to interact with.

The final part of the festival is the Lakeside Watershow, a spectacle of moving creatures and patterns projected across the lake and fountain. Ian Xiang, Creative Director of Lightopia, said: “We are delighted to share the magic of Lightopia 2022 with families in Manchester and beyond. We hope this immersive experience will bring together friends and loved ones through the power of light and sound.

“Not only have we created a fantastical world, full of happiness, illumination, and charm, we hope by offering families a more affordable experience, they can escape for an evening filled with festive magic at Christmas.”

Lightopia will open from Thursday November 24 until Monday January 2, between 5pm and 10pm, and entry is 8.30pm daily. It will not be open on Christmas Day.

Advance tickets are priced at £17.50 for adults off-peak and £22.50 at peak times or days, from £11.00 for children off-peak and £14.50 peak, and £49.00 for families of two adults and two children off-peak and £69.00 peak. Children under three can go free at all times. Essential carers of disabled visitors can attend for free, the disabled visitor pays the normal admission fee.

Tickets go on general sale on Friday September 16. You can buy them here. For a limited time people can receive 20per cent off tickets by registering prior to tickets going on sale.

For more of the latest What's On news, click here.

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