Leipzig Festival of Lights 2026
There will be another Festival of Lights!
More information is available from summer 2026 on this website.
Leipzig Festival of Lights
Leipzig Festival of Lights 2025
Every year on October 9th, Leipzig commemorates the Monday Demonstrations of autumn 89 with its Festival of Lights. These demonstrations led to the fall of the SED regime and paved the way for German reunification. Leipzig also celebrated 35 years of German unity on [date missing]. 9 October 2025 on the occasion of a special kind of light festival: From 19am to 22pm formed five light art projects East and West German artists created a path of light along the Neumarkt and in Schillerpark, inviting visitors to remember and reflect on the events of autumn 89. The path of light guided visitors from St. Nicholas Church, the starting point of the Peaceful Revolution, across the Neumarkt to Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz, the future site of Leipzig's Freedom and Unity Monument.
Im Schillerpark The traditional Candles-89, which was illuminated throughout the evening by thousands of tea lights lit by the festival guests. Candles were available free of charge at all candle and information stands in the city center.
This year, the app “Explore Leipzig – City Tours” again offered a light festival tour with all the projects – also as an audio version (Download iOS | Download Android)
Leipzig Festival of Lights
on October 9th
With the cries of “We are the people” and “No violence”, people gathered on 9 October 1989 70.000 people marched along Leipzig's inner-city ring road to demonstrate for freedom and democracy, thus paving the way for the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of Germany and Europe. The dramatic events of the fall of 1989 still resonate today.
The people of Leipzig keep this memory alive every year in many different ways, especially the commemoration of October 9. The focus on this day is Peace prayer, Speech on democracy and Leipzig Festival of Lights.
Remembering together
Leipzig residents and visitors to the city commemorate the historic events together at the original locations. Exhibitions, panel discussions, film screenings, readings, and many other formats reach thousands of visitors of all generations each year. The numerous commemorative events have been coordinated for many years by the Initiative “Day of the Peaceful Revolution – Leipzig October 9, 1989It includes citizens, organizations, institutions, museums, and other organizations that have a direct connection to the fall of 1989. The initiative is supported by the city of Leipzig.
The responsibility for the thematic priorities of the Peaceful Revolution celebrations and the accompanying programs lies with the Advisory Board “Board of Trustees Peaceful Revolution 1989". Leipzig Tourism and Marketing GmbH is responsible for the Festival of Lights.