As winter arrives, the visitor experience at parks begins to change. Outdoor spaces take on a different atmosphere with seasonal lighting, decorations and special events. Liseberg, one of Sweden’s best-known amusement parks, has also prepared an extensive programme for the upcoming winter season.
The highlight of this year’s Jul på Liseberg event, which opens on 14 November, will be Luma Celestia. Built along a route of approximately one kilometre, the project will take visitors through different parts of the park, where they can discover a series of light installations. The route extends into the park’s garden area, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the displays on foot.
This Time, the Lights Tell a Story
Each section of Luma Celestia has its own theme. Installations inspired by the Northern Lights, Three Moons, Fire of Legends, Stairway to the Sky and Rain of Stars will create different visual settings throughout the park.
The project goes beyond lighting displays. A special performance titled The Fallen Star – A Saga of Longing will bring together aerial acrobatics and light effects. As visitors explore the park, they will also encounter performances that add another dimension to the experience.
Liseberg has invested SEK 8.6 million in Luma Celestia. The park describes it as its largest single Christmas investment to date.
Bringing More Areas of the Park into the Winter Season
Another notable part of this year’s preparations is the opening of areas that have not previously been accessible to visitors during the winter season. With the introduction of the Luma Celestia route, these spaces will become part of a new visitor experience featuring specially designed light installations.
Liseberg is also adding more than one million new lights across the park, bringing the total number of light points to approximately six million. The winter setting will include 2,100 Christmas trees, 3.3 kilometres of fir tree decorations and artificial snow installations.
Christmas markets and retail areas located throughout the park will also be part of the seasonal programme. Alongside the light displays, these additions aim to give visitors more reasons to explore the park and spend time there throughout the winter season.
Seasonal Events Bring a New Dimension to Parks
Liseberg’s winter programme is another example of how parks can take on a different identity through seasonal events. Making use of existing spaces with new lighting concepts and themed installations allows parks to attract visitors throughout the year, rather than focusing mainly on the summer months.
Running from 14 November to 30 December 2026, Jul på Liseberg will offer visitors a new experience through Luma Celestia. Bringing together light design, performances and the atmosphere of winter, the project is also worth following as an example of how seasonal concepts can broaden the visitor experience at amusement parks.
