Toronto Light Festival 2020 - Sydmonaut

Location: Distillery District
Date photo taken: 12 February 2020

Back for its fourth year, the Toronto Light Festival has once again brought light and colour to the darkest months of winter. The Distillery District is hosting installations from 13 different artists representing 5 countries. Some, such as the Cloud Swings, are interactive. Others like the Sydmonauts are just there to discover. Designed by Amigo & Amigo from Australia, there are 9 astronauts in total scattered around the site.

The Light Festival is free to attend and continues to March 1.

Toronto Light Fest - 2019

Location: Distillery District

Date photo taken: 21 January 2019

If you check out the website for the Toronto Light Fest, you'll discover that, in their opinion, winter sucks. They aspire to "create a positive, magical urban world that people of all ages and backgrounds will enjoy and look forward to." I certainly do. While I don't think winter sucks, there is no denying it's dark a lot of the time. I love patio lights and holiday lights and now for the next fews months I can enjoy the lights in the Distillery. I took this picture on a Monday night, when the temperature was -13C and felt much colder, but it meant that I got to stand in this structure - I dub it the aurora igloo even though its actual name is Enunciation - all alone, for as long as I wanted. It was cold, sure, but it was also very calming. 

Toronto Light Fest

Location: Distillery District
Date photo taken: 23 January 2018

The Toronto Light Fest is back for its second year. From now until March 4th the Distillery District is home to over 30 light art installations. Some, like this one, have a message. Others are pure fancy. Like the candy-coloured pyramid made from gummy bears. Or the circle of birds that fly with you while you run. Picking a favourite seems silly, but if I had to, it would probably be the giant dandelion puffs transformed by coloured lights into a fireworks display.

Digital Origami Tiger

Location: Toronto Light Fest, Distillery District
Date photo taken: 27 January 2016

This glowing cat figure is one of two that makes up the installation Digital Origami Tigers, currently on display at the Toronto Light Fest in the Distillery. Originally created by LAVA to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Tiger in 2010 and displayed at the Custom House in Sydney, Australia, the cats were later adopted by the World Wildlife Fund to help in their campaign to raise awareness of the plight of these endangered animals. Instructions for making your own origami tiger can be downloaded from the WWF website.

The Toronto Light Fest is a free festival that brings over 20 light-based works from local and international artists to the Distillery District. It runs until March 12.