Land of Lights Lantern Festival

The Land of Lights Lantern Festival is an autumn-winter festival of lanterns and light installations held at the family-friendly Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts in the UK. The parks are transformed into a magical world featuring illuminated figures, fantastical creatures and large-scale themed displays.

In this article, we’ll reveal details about the festival, provide an overview of the venues and offer useful information for visitors.

About the festival

The Land of Lights Lantern Festival takes place across the Gulliver’s Theme Parks and offers visitors an evening stroll amongst illuminated figures, large lanterns and themed decorations. Unlike a traditional Christmas market, the focus here is not on the stalls but on the route itself: guests walk in sequence through the illuminated areas, admiring the installations and taking photographs.

In the 2026 season, the festival will take place across three locations: Milton Keynes, Warrington and Rotherham. The organisers promise a spectacular show – new lanterns, fantastical worlds of light and updated decorations.

The displays are designed for families, but you can also visit them without children. There are photo spots along the route, and in some areas there are food and drink stalls where you can buy refreshments.

On certain evenings, dogs are allowed; it’s worth checking the conditions for a specific venue before you go.

The Land of Lights Lantern Festival is a separate event. A festival ticket does not automatically grant access to the regular attractions at the Gulliver parks, and the network’s annual passes do not entitle holders to free entry.

Festival Programme

The main programme of the Land of Lights Lantern Festival consists of a walk along an illuminated path featuring themed displays. Rather than a schedule of concerts and performances, the organisers have devised a route along which guests can explore the exhibits at their own pace.

Themes announced for the 2026 season include majestic architectural imagery, dinosaurs and fantastical worlds. Illuminated figures and decorative structures create individual scenes that can be viewed from different angles. The detailed programme varies depending on the city and the specific day.

The programme includes:

• Light installations: Illuminated figures and large-scale compositions that form the festival route.
• Themed worlds: Sets featuring fantastical scenes and characters, designed with children in mind.
• Photo spots: Specially designed areas for taking photos against a backdrop of light installations.
• Food and drink: The chance to stop off along the route and enjoy seasonal treats.
• Evenings for visitors with dogs: Please check the calendar for your chosen venue for dates.

Information for visitors

Before you go, it’s worth checking the calendar for your chosen venue: the festival runs on specific evenings, and the start time and last admission vary depending on the date. You can view available sessions and prices, and book tickets online via the official websites.

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes was the original venue for Land of Lights, from where the festival subsequently spread to other Gulliver’s Parks. For the 2026 season, the organisers are promising new light installations and updated scenery.

• Dates: From 17 October 2026 to 27 February 2027, on selected days. Before you visit, check the calendar on the official Land of Lights Milton Keynes website.
• Price: Online tickets start from £13.75. The final price depends on the date and the selected ticket type. For children aged 3 and over and adults, the ticket price is £23.00. Entry is free for children under 2 years old. Concession tickets cost £11.50.
• Opening hours: Sessions from 17:00 or 18:00 until 20:15. Last admission on the dates listed is at 18:45.
• Parking: Free.
• How to get there: By car from the M1 motorway, take junction 14 and follow the brown signs straight to the entrance.

Warrington

In Warrington, the festival takes place at Gulliver’s World Resort. The organisers promise themed light displays, dinosaur figures, fantastic scenery and photo opportunities. Food and drink will also be available to visitors throughout the season.

• Dates: From 24 October 2026 to 30 January 2027, on selected days.
• Price: Online tickets from £13.75 at the published starting price. For adults and children aged 3 and over, the ticket price is £22.00. Entry is free for children under 2. Concession tickets: £11.00.
• Opening hours: Vary by date. For example, on 24 October, a session is scheduled from 18:00 to 20:15, and on 25 October from 17:00 to 20:15. Last admission is at 18:45.
• Parking: Free.
• How to get there: If you’re travelling on the M62, take junction 8 or 9 and follow the brown signs to the entrance. If you’re travelling on the M6, take junction 22 and follow the signs to Warrington.

Rotherham

The Rotherham venue is situated within Gulliver’s Valley Resort, between Rotherham and Sheffield. Visitors can enjoy an evening trail featuring large lanterns, light displays and themed areas. The organisers have announced new exhibits for the 2026 season.

• Dates: From 8 November 2026 to 30 January 2027. Please check the calendar for specific dates.
• Price: Online tickets start from £13.75. Tickets for adults and children aged 3 and over: £21.00. Free entry for children under 2. Concession tickets cost £10.50.
• Opening hours: In November, most sessions run from 17:00 to 20:15, in December, opening times vary on some days from 15:30 to 17:00, and in January, from 16:00 to 16:30. Check the calendar and prices before you go.
• Parking: Free.
• How to get there: If you’re travelling on the M1, take junction 31 and follow the brown signs. If you’re coming from Sheffield city centre, follow the signs for the A57 towards Worksop.

Reviews

Aleksandra:

Great place for children. It took us 1.5 h to walk around and see everything. Definitely will come back next year!

Tony:

Really enjoyable walk with the Grand kids, quite a long walk, the lights were excellent, the atmosphere lovely, thoroughly recommended.

Joanne:

Fantastic event, with a huge amount of lights to see. Great for both adults and kids - with some scary dinosaurs to be found amongst the lights :)

You might also be interested in The Lightpool Festival, which takes place in Blackpool, UK.

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