The Path of Light festival will bring colour and memorable experiences to the dark evenings of 3–6 December 2026. The hugely popular international event returns for its sixth edition.
This year, the Path of Light route will take visitors from Turku Music Hall Fuuga through the Market Square to Turku Cathedral. All light installations will be on display from Thursday 3 December to Sunday 6 December, from 4 pm to 10 pm.
Finnish light and sound artist Marko Häkkinen takes on the role of the festival's artistic director this year. Häkkinen is an internationally renowned multidisciplinary artist whose work was previously featured at Path of Light in 2024. This time, in addition to presenting his own works, he is also responsible for the festival's artistic planning.
The central theme of the programme curated by Häkkinen is connection:
– The current state of the world makes us reflect on the importance of human connection. This theme has featured prominently in my own art before, and this year it brings together all the works at Path of Light, Häkkinen explains.
The theme is therefore strongly reflected in this year's selection of artworks. In Turku's urban landscape, layers of history meet contemporary light art, and the event invites visitors to experience light art together.
– Although the works are very different from one another, the theme of connection brings them together as a whole. They invite people to pause, notice one another and approach differences with curiosity and respect, Häkkinen sums up.
Alongside the light installations, a diverse programme of performances and other attractions will bring the banks of the River Aura and the Market Square area to life. Visitors to Path of Light can also enjoy themed dishes and special offers at numerous restaurants and cafés along the River Aura and in the city centre.
On Friday evening, 4 December, the Lightfest Run will add even more sparkle to Path of Light, as runners and walkers adorned with LED lights bring colour to the city from 9 pm onwards.
Monumental light installations along the River Aura and in the heart of the city
The area between Aura Bridge and Fuuga will feature works created especially for Path of Light 2026. Near Aura Bridge, This Side and That Side, a collaborative work by Pekka Martti and Marko Häkkinen, draws inspiration from the traditional Turku way of viewing the city divided by the river and its history. The installation looks different depending on which bank it is viewed from, inviting visitors to explore how different perspectives can form part of the same whole.
Turku Music Hall Fuuga will be illuminated by Petteri Unkila's Concerto of Light. The installation sends beams of light into the night sky above the city, where they pulse and breathe in time with the music. Concerto of Light is best experienced from the riverbank or Fuuga's rooftop terrace. Nearby, on Theatre Bridge, an installation entitled Seili Bridge transports visitors into a mysterious atmosphere inspired by Turku City Theatre's musical Seili. Teemu Loikas has designed the bridge's set, with lighting by Jarmo Esko.
Meanwhile, a giant red heart will pulse in the heart of the city as Polish artist Milosh Łuczyński's Grand Cœur (Big Heart) illuminates the Market Square. The eight-metre-tall installation bears the message “My heart is bigger than my fear”, inviting visitors to reflect on their own prejudices. The illuminated sculpture has previously been displayed outside the Grand Palais in Paris, among other locations. Now it will shine in Turku, the Paris of Finland.
Light art connects with its audience
Along the route, visitors will encounter light installations that change and come to life in response to visitors. Czech artist Jiří Suchánek's light installation Demonz is an interactive game that challenges visitors to defeat mischievous characters projected onto a large surface. In Brahe Park, visitors can try to hit the demons by throwing soft balls at them.
In the courtyard of Art House Turku, Slovenian artist Anže Kreč's light installations invite visitors to help illuminate the artworks by generating electricity using hand-operated generators. Outside Aboa Vetus Ars Nova, Antti Kulmala's installation Flow responds to human movement, inviting visitors to become part of an ever-changing stream of light.
Colour, play and history come together around Turku Cathedral
The Strength That Carries Us, Marko Häkkinen's installation stretching across the river in front of Cathedral Bridge combines light art with sound. Glowing cubes of light in the River Aura come alive to the sound of music, while atmospheric lighting lines both riverbanks.
In Porthan Park, Dutch collective Studio Toer presents its playful installation Flea Circus, where bouncing neon lights become part of the historic surroundings. A dazzling display of colour also awaits visitors in Cathedral Park, where Poppamaija'sWE ARE ALL LOOKING FOR THE SAME LIGHT, comprising six large paintings, comes to life in its full brilliance under UV lighting.
Turku Cathedral will be illuminated in honour of the 750th anniversary of the Cathedral Chapter of the Archdiocese of Turku. Timo Ollila's light installation Hope. Words. Actions. projects words onto the walls of this historic landmark, inviting visitors to reflect on our shared history and the kind of future we can build together.
Path of Light
All information about the Path of Light will be updated on the website turku.fi/valonpolku.
The route of the event, seasonal lighting locations and participating restaurants and cafés will also be published on the Citynomadi map service under the route name Path of Light.