Leipzig Festival of Lights 2026: On 9 October, light trail projects will once again illuminate the city centre

Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar: Zum deutschen Artikel.

On 9 October, it will be that time of year again: Leipzig will be celebrating the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 with a Festival of Lights. On 9 October 1989, the peaceful course of what was, at that point, the largest Monday demonstration against the SED regime in Leipzig paved the way for the fall of the Wall and for German reunification.

To mark the anniversary, numerous events are planned for September and October to commemorate the historic events and examine current social challenges against the backdrop of developments since 1989.

Highlights of the commemorations include the prayer for peace and the speech on democracy at St Nicholas’ Church, as well as the Leipzig Festival of Lights, once again taking the form of a light trail through the city centre, which can be experienced from 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm.

Programme highlights

Prayer for Peace
, St Nicholas’ Church, 5.00 pm

Superintendent Dr Joachim Jeska from Osnabrück will deliver the sermon at this year’s Prayer for Peace. Osnabrück has a long tradition as a city of peace. On 25 October 1648, the Peace of Westphalia – which marked the end of the Thirty Years’ War – was proclaimed from the steps of the town hall.

In his sermon, Joachim Jeska will draw a parallel between Osnabrück and Leipzig, emphasising the shared responsibility of both cities for peace. The Peace Prayer will feature the cantata ‘Selig sind …’ by André Engelbrecht. The Bach Choir of St Nicholas’ Church and the St Nikolai Ensemble will perform under the direction of St Nikolai cantor Markus Kaufmann.

Speech on Democracy
, St Nicholas’ Church, 6.15 pm

The German-American political scientist Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook will deliver the speech on democracy at St Nikola’s Church on 9 October. An expert on US politics and international relations, she is regarded as one of the most prominent transatlantic voices of our time. Using developments in the USA as an example, she examines internal threats to liberal democracies and demonstrates how the same patterns can also be observed in Europe.

Leipzig Festival of Lights 2026
, Promenadenring, 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm

The 2026 Festival of Light will lead visitors along a path of light through Leipzig city centre. Between St Nicholas’ Church and St Matthew’s Churchyard, light installations, performances and images from 1989 will connect the past with the present. International artists, local project partners and school pupils from Leipzig will work together to create a European perspective.

The candle pedestal in the shape of an ‘89 at St Thomas’ Church, on the corner of Klostergasse, provides a quiet moment of remembrance, as well as an opportunity to engage with contemporary witnesses. This creates a shared space for remembrance and reflection.

The ‘Path of Light’ can be walked in either direction; there is no set order. You can choose your starting point freely. Orange-coloured street lamps help guide the way on the evening of the Festival of Light.

The ‘Path of Light’ projects 2026

Our Responsibility …
(open-air exhibition on Grimmaische Straße)

Faces of Light (
light installation at the Leipzig Forum for Contemporary History/Grimmaische Straße)

New Beginnings – Upheaval –? United in Diversity
(dance performance on the market square)

Candles ’89 and Interviews with Eyewitnesses
(Thomaskirchhof/corner of Klostergasse)
PERPETUUM (Immersive video installation on Dittrichring)

The Filing Cabinet
(Video installation in the courtyard of the Matthäikirchhof)