Neighbors Enjoy Winter Light Festival

At the February FPNA meetibng,  neighbors heard from Nora Barré, Executive Director of the Downtown Providence Park Network (DPPN), about "Lumina," a winter light festival presented by the DPPN and the Providence Tourism Council that took place from mid-January through late-February in downtown Providence. Inspired by wintertime cultural programs in NYC and Montreal, the festival included a light exhibit called Prismatica and a lineup of community-oriented activities during the bleakest winter months. The idea, Barré suggested, was to “bring people out of their homes,” she said, inspire a sense of community spirit among residents and visitors, and “increase the feeling of safety in downtown parks.”

The Prismatica exhibit, a colorful light installation set up in the 195 District Park, consisted of 25 large glass prisms that lined the waterfront, emitted soft chimes, and rotated when pushed by passersby. “The response has been fantastic,” Barré said about visitor feedback. “The festival has been a great success.” Lumina will likely be repeated in 2025, she suggested, with a theme of environmental stewardship.

Photo, Amy Mendillo