Amsterdam Light Festival 2026-2027

Amsterdam Light Festival is an open-air exhibition of light art staged along the canals and waterways of central Amsterdam each winter. The 2026-2027 edition runs from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027, covering the darkest stretch of the Dutch calendar.

The artworks stand in public space, which means there is no gate and no entry fee simply to look at them. The organisers set out three ways to follow the exhibition: on foot, by bike, or from a boat. Tickets exist for the canal cruises and for app-guided walking experiences, but the installations themselves are free to see.

What happens along the route

The illuminated works are placed in public space and positioned around the water, so that on the cruise route you sail by, through or underneath them. The result is an exhibition that behaves like a city walk. You pass bridges, quaysides and canal stretches you may already know well, and the lighting rearranges how they read after dark.

Artworks are selected through a public open call. The festival states that anyone may enter, from professional art studios to upcoming talent, and that it covers the production costs of the chosen artworks along with travel costs and an artist fee. Submissions run through a formal process with a briefing document; the organisers say they do not accept entries by email.

Work does not always stop at the Amstel. The festival notes that some pieces go on to travel internationally after the Amsterdam run, via Light Art Collection.

Walking the route

The walking route is roughly 6.5 kilometres end to end. The organisers estimate that this takes somewhere between one and a half and three hours, depending on how fast you move and how long you stop.

There is no prescribed sequence. The artworks are not placed in a particular order, so you can join the route at any point. The festival suggests Amsterdam Centraal or its information point at the Blauwbrug, near Waterlooplein, as practical places to start.

The festival app is free to download. Paid options layer extra content on top of the same public route: a Light Walk with an audio guide and background on the artworks and artists, a Kids Walk written for children, and food walks that combine the route with stops to eat. None of these are required to see the art.

Seeing it from the water

The boat route is the part that genuinely needs a ticket. A cruise takes about 75 minutes in normal conditions, though the festival notes that some operators run closer to 90 minutes depending on where their departure point sits relative to the route.

Departures run every 30 minutes between 4.30pm and 9.30pm. Several boat companies participate and their departure locations differ, so the specific quay depends on which operator you book. Those details are listed against each option in the official ticket shop.

On comfort, the organisers are straightforward. Most canal boats and historic boats are heated. Open boats hand out blankets and can be partially covered when the cold turns severe, which in a Dutch December is a reasonable thing to plan around.

For wheelchair users, the festival points to Blue Boat Company, which operates some wheelchair-accessible boats. It asks that you contact the operator directly on +31 20 679 1370 at least a day before your cruise so the boat can be arranged. Dogs are permitted only by certain operators, so that is worth confirming with the company named on your ticket rather than assuming.

Tickets and official information

Tickets are sold through the festival’s own shop at amsterdamlightfestival.com. Booking elsewhere is not necessary, and the ticket shop is where cruise options, departure points and walking experiences are listed together.

Purchased tickets cannot be cancelled, though the festival allows changes up to 24 hours before your booked experience through the “Manage your order” link in the confirmation email. The one stated exception covers force majeure situations, where the festival says cruise tickets bought in its own shop are refunded within four weeks after the festival. Ticket questions go to [email protected] or +31 20 620 6908. During the festival, staffed information points operate at the Blauwbrug and at A Beautiful Mess.

How the festival pays for itself

Amsterdam Light Festival receives no structural funding and says it is dependent on its visitors. That dependence is the context for the paid ticketing layer sitting alongside a public route that anyone can walk for nothing.

The organisation runs as a foundation, and this edition marks 15 years of light art in the city.

Common questions

Do you need a ticket to see the artworks?

No. The artworks stand in public space and anyone can see them without paying. Tickets buy access to the cruises and to guided experiences with additional information about the art and the artists.

How long is the walking route?

About 6.5 kilometres in total, which the organisers estimate at one and a half to three hours depending on your pace.

How long does a canal cruise take?

Roughly 75 minutes under normal conditions. Some operators take around 90 minutes, depending on how far their departure point sits from the route.

When do the cruises depart?

Every 30 minutes, between 4.30pm and 9.30pm. Departure locations vary by boat company and are listed in the official ticket shop.

Are the boats accessible for wheelchair users?

Blue Boat Company operates some wheelchair-accessible boats. The festival asks visitors to contact that operator on +31 20 679 1370 at least one day before the cruise.

Can artists submit work to a future edition?

Yes, through the open call, which is open to professional studios and upcoming talent alike. Information about the 2027-2028 call is due at the end of February or the beginning of March.