Spectra 2025 will bathe areas of Aberdeen in light when it returns next month, so here’s what you need to know before you go.
Known as Scotland’s Festival of Light, the event attracts huge crowds to the city centre, eager to view the spectacular displays and designs from an array of top international artists.
The festival boasts innovative light installations, large-scale projections and interactive artworks to create an unforgettable winter experience in north-east Scotland.
What art can I expect at Spectra?
This year’s line-up will be no different, boasting brilliant and eye-catching designs that will light up the dark Aberdeen sky.
Sky Castle is a dreamy, interactive sound and light installation, featuring a cluster of inflatable arches.
As guests move through the arches, their movement powers and progresses a xylophone soundscape and stimulates colour changes in each arch.
End Over End, meanwhile, is a gigantic illuminated slinky toy that lights up to create the movement of the nostalgic toy.
Opening times
Spectra 2025 will begin at 5.30pm on Thursday February 6 and runs until Sunday February 9, taking place until 10pm each night.
The festival is free and un-ticketed so all you have to do is show up and marvel at the art.
Locations
The main three locations for this year’s Spectra installations are Marischal College, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Union Terrace Gardens.
Other streets and areas around the three locations will also be used to house some of the spectacular artwork.
Road closures
Broad Street will be closed to all traffic between February 2 and February 11.
Others will be closed between specific hours from February 6 until February 9.
Those include:
- Gallowgate from Broad Street to Littlejohn Street
- Upperkirkgate from Gallowgate to Schoolhill
- Schoolhill, entire length (including inset road)
- Back Wynd from Schoolhill to Little Belmont Street
- Harriet Street from Schoolhill to Loch Street
- Union Terrace, from Union Street to Rosemount Viaduct.
- Rosemount Viaduct, from Schoolhill to Skene Street.
- Blackfriars Street & St Andrews Street corridor, from Rosemount Viaduct to Crooked Lane
- Queen Street, Whole length
- Netherkirkgate from Broad Street to St Catherine’s Wynd
Parking availability and restrictions
There is no dedicated event parking but all city-centre car parks will operate as normal, except Harriet Street and Marischal College car parks, which are closed from 4pm until 11pm.
Parking restrictions will be imposed on several streets during the Spectra festival beginning at 11pm on February 5 until 11.59pm on February 9.
- Upperkirkgate from Gallowgate to Schoolhill
- Schoolhill, entire length (including inset road)
- Back Wynd from Schoolhill to Little Belmont Street
- Harriet Street from Schoolhill to Loch Street
- Little Belmont Street from Back Wynd to Belmont Street
- Union Terrace, except for blue badge holders
- St Catherine’s Wynd from Netherkirkgate to Union Street
- Little John Street, except for blue badge holders
- Queen Street, except for blue badge holders
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