Land of Lights festival provides economic boost for Milton Keynes

A spectacular light and lantern festival has attracted tens of thousands of people – and counting – to Milton Keynes, providing a welcome boost to the city’s economy.

The stunning Land of Lights lantern festival, at Gulliver’s Resort, has so far welcomed more than 30,000 people from the local area and further afield, with thousands more expected in the coming weeks.

The festival, which began in November and runs until February 26, features a one-mile-long wonderland of illuminations. Spread across 12 vivid dreamworlds, they include colourful, gigantic lanterns inspired by animals, mega monuments and wonders of the natural world.

Guests can explore the enchanting installations, which include more than 7,000 individual lanterns and hundreds of thousands LED lights. The experience features an eclectic mix of music and entertainment, and a wide selection of festive food, street-eats and seasonal drinks are available for purchase.

Darren Hoy, Land of Lights Festival Manager, said: “Land of Lights has been a dazzling edition to Milton Keynes this winter and Gulliver’s Resorts has received so much positive feedback from customers about this truly unique experience.

“We have been blown away by the response and it has been wonderful to welcome more than 30,000 people so far from Milton Keynes, but also far and wide across the country.

“This popularity means Land of Lights has given people another reason to come to the city which has been a fantastic boost for the local economy. We hope to make this stunning festival even bigger and better in future years, so watch this space!

“There’s still plenty of time to brighten up your winter and catch Land of Lights, which runs until late February. It’s a one-of-a-kind, family-friendly experience that ignites the imagination and is illuminating Milton Keynes.”

More than 100 people were involved in the hand-crafted production process for Land of Lights. It was undertaken by the American-owned Zigong Lantern Group, an award winning, custom designer and manufacturer of handcrafted lamp art that has grown to become one of the largest exporters of lantern art.

Justin Corsa, chief of the Board and CEO of Zigong Lantern Group, said: “We are proud one of the greatest lights installations in all of UK is proving such a success here at Gulliver’s Resort in Milton Keynes.

“Every lantern is 100% handcrafted by our 100-strong skilled team, and from design to installation it took about seven months to complete. The attraction comprises of hundreds of thousands of LED lights and more than 300,000 meters of silk cloth.

“Working with Gulliver’s has been more than a partnership, we have become very close friends, and hope this will be the beginning of many more exciting years working together.”

Tickets for Land of Lights are available from £19 when booked more than two days in advance.

To find out more about the festival, visit: landoflights.co.uk