Welcome to the beating heart of the festival!

This is where the Clarens Festival of Lights comes alive. Art, music and community meet on one glowing square, filled with spectacular light installations, live performances, cold drinks and warm conversations.

Thursday: the festival opens here

The festival begins on the square. On Thursday evening, a spectacular opening ceremony lights up Clarens for the first time, the moment the whole weekend has been building towards.

Everyday something new

Mornings: coffee, artists and ideas

Start slowly with a freshly brewed coffee and a Morning Spotlight Session. These informal talks put you in the room with the artists and musicians behind the festival, their stories, their inspiration and the work that made it all happen.

Days: more than ten installations, lit by daylight and by night

Over ten light installations fill the square, and they are just as worth seeing by day as they are after dark. Explore at your own pace, then come back when the sun goes down and see them transformed.

Afternoons and evenings: world-class music

The best of our Clarens musicians, including Josh and Elvis Mokoena, Lily and Bear and Kate Rock, DJ Assanda and Dj Slayers. And acclaimed international WOMAD artists share the stage with the best of South Africa: Congolese-Austrian electronic musician Kimyan Law, Barcelona soul and funk band Koko-Jean & The Tonics, and celebrated Afrikaans singer-songwriter Jannie du Toit.

Between it all: drink & play

There is a dedicated play area and jumping castle for the children, a cosy outdoor bar with cold drinks for everyone else, and, once evening falls, roaming performers who take over the square and delight visitors of every age.

Access for everyone

The square is step-free throughout, with reserved viewing areas for visitors with disabilities. The parking area parking is within easy walking distance.