The Scarborough Lights festival will be launched next month as part of a three-year plan to boost arts, attract tourists and improve job opportunities on the North Yorkshire coast.
It is hoped that the illuminated art installations will draw visitors in during a quiet time of year for the coastal town, with the event running from mid-November until just before Christmas.
It is the first event of the ‘Scarborough Fair’ cultural initiative, which is funded by £1.2m from the Government’s Towns Fund programme.
The fair, last held in the 18th century, is being revived as a year-round programme of arts and sports events, expected to run until 2026.
The aim is that the events will help create a year-round visitor economy for the county.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, said: ‘Scarborough Lights represents a milestone for us in bringing a greater breadth of arts and cultural events to North Yorkshire.
‘It is an ambition of North Yorkshire Council to make sure that we can bring better jobs and help improve people’s opportunities to all communities in the county, and the launch of such a major programme of arts and cultural events is a clear indication of our commitment to this.’
