Organisers of Illuminight with Lidl, the light and sound spectacular in Kilmarnock’s Dean Castle Country Park which ended last week, hailed the third event to be a great success, welcoming over 42,000 visitors during its four-week run to firmly establish the event as one of Scotland’s leading illumination attractions.

Unique Events, Scotland’s leading events and festivals creation company, and East Ayrshire Leisure engaged with production specialists Black Light and Scotland’s leading lighting designer Grant Anderson to curate an all-new show for 2019, taking visitors to the Moon and back. Among the many highlights on the 1.5km woodland trail were a spectacular 7m moon installation, a water projection depicting the 50^th anniversary of the Moon Landing, a fallen Space Capsule and a 12-foot-tall intricate willow sculpture of a giant Spaceman created by Girvan artist David Powell.

Supermarket chain Lidl returned as headline sponsors to support the event this year, with audiences enjoying delicious Lidl products from the Lidl Warming Zone, which in 2019 served over 7,000 cups of hot chocolate and 44,000 toasted marshmallows over the 23-night run.  Local sponsors The Park Hotel welcomed visitors to Kilmarnock throughout the event, providing Afternoon Tea and Accommodation Packages for audiences travelling from out-with East Ayrshire to the event.

Councillor Elena Whitham, Chair of East Ayrshire Leisure, said: “For a third year, Illuminight has brought something unique and different to East Ayrshire, attracting visitors from far and wide across the area to experience our beautiful Dean Castle Country Park in a whole new light.”

 Penny Dougherty, Director of Unique Events, said: “We thoroughly enjoyed our third outing to Dean Castle Country Park – it’s a stunning location for Illuminight with Lidl, which is fast becoming one of the country’s leading winter attractions.  We are thrilled that the people of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire and beyond came in their tens of thousands to enjoy the spectacular lighting and visual effects and are very much looking forward to returning in 2020 with an even more exciting show.”

Illuminight with Lidl received funding support from EventScotland National Events Fund, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate. 

 Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “EventScotland was delighted to have supported Illuminight with Lidl through our National Events Programme again this year. Events play a key role in our visitor economy and the Unique Events team should be congratulated on delivering another successful event, which has attracted thousands of visitors from across the region and further afield to the stunning surroundings of Dean Castle Country Park.”

Did you know that:

• Over 120,000 visitors have experienced Illuminight with Lidl at Dean Castle Country Park in only 3 years
• Over 44,000 marshmallows have been roasted over open fires in 2019
• Over 7,000 hot chocolates have been made by the Illuminight with Lidl team over the 23-nights
• This year, Illuminight with Lidl saw the invention of Scottish S’mores – skewers of marshmallow and Tunnock’s Teacakes toasted over an open fire – they were a sell-out!
• There were 1300 festoon lamps along the 1.5km route
• Over 100,000 metres of cabling was used to create the show
• Illuminight Staff have walked over 40,000 miles during set up and operation of the event