From large scale installations to captivating theatre, BD: is LIT is your chance to see Bradford in a whole new light.
With the nights getting colder and the dark creeping in, we’re all in need of a splash of light and colour to perk us up. BD: is LIT is back to make Bradford a brighter place, bringing a fun, free and family-friendly event to the city centre from 5pm to 9pm on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th November 2025. Celebrating the city’s unique cultural heritage, it’s a fantastic alternative to traditional bonfire celebrations.
Taking place across Bradford city centre, this year’s BD: is LIT event will feature dazzling light installations and performances by local, national and international artists. You’ll find plenty of interactive fun for the whole family, alongside can’t-miss moments that celebrate the creativity at the heart of the proudly multi-cultural city. So, what can you expect?
Worstedopolis is set to transform City Hall into a colourful tribute to Bradford’s rich textile heritage. Created by artist Ronan Devlin, the brand new piece has been commissioned especially for the festival. Elsewhere, Nicola Murray’s Listening Lights invites audiences to step inside a softly glowing phone box and connect with voices from across the district. Who will you speak to?
Monolith is a large-scale installation that’s bound to take your breath away. Standing proudly in City Park, the giant structure is an homage to Stanley Kubrick’s classic 2001: A Space Odyssey and a metaphor on society’s obsession with screens. Over at St Georges Hall, Phenix is a ten-metre phoenix, lighting up the night with a call for hope, strength and power in the face of adversity.
Other highlights include the BD Dazzler, a vibrantly decorated van inspired by Pakistani truck art, and the world-renowned Spark! drummers, who bring their iconic LED light drumming to City Park. Everywhere you turn you’ll find familiar landmarks transformed into something new and magical – it really is a spectacle.
Credit: Alex P
Visit on Saturday 8th November 2025 and you’ll also be able to catch the Christmas light switch on at The Broadway. You can expect dazzling lights, live performances and a host of surprises as the shopping centre celebrates 10 years of festive magic.
BD: is Lit is the perfect way to celebrate the final months of Bradford’s City of Culture year. Whether you’re local or travelling from further afield, you’ll find plenty to see and do across the city centre. With no fee for admission and no need to book, you can explore the festival at your own pace – just show up between 5pm and 9pm and prepare to be amazed.
BD: is LIT takes place across Bradford city centre from 5pm to 9pm on Friday 7th & Saturday 8th November 2025.
