Mansfield Light Night 2025

Prepare to be captivated as we showcase the parks natural splendour into a luminous haven, as this is the second year of this extremely popular event, we are back and making it bigger and better than 2024.

Throughout the entire three day event:

The Radiant Bandstand, where you can marvel at the main Bandstand adorned with 360 screens showcasing mesmerizing artistic performances. The surrounding area will be enhanced with spotlight seating and patterns dancing on the floor, creating a stunning visual spectacle.

Fairyland is a magical area where the air shimmers with the soft glow of countless fairy lights. Butterflies rest gracefully among LED flowers, creating a relaxing atmosphere full of twinkling lights that seem to dance gently in the air. Everywhere you look, there are beautiful photo opportunities, with whimsical backdrops of sparkling trees and delicate blossoms, a place where every corner invites you to capture the magic and immerse yourself in a world of wonder.

The Enchanted Forest is a captivating space where the nature of the park meets magic. Mirror balls hang suspended in the air, casting shimmering reflections on the ground, creating a dreamlike effect. As you wander along the pathway, look out for the woodland animals that can be spotted amidst the trees, which are bathed in warm coloured lights, their branches reaching up to the sky like living sculptures. Every step feels like a journey into a mystical world, full of beauty and intrigue at every turn.

Carnival Discoland is a vibrant, high-energy wonderland where the beat never stops. LED arches guide your way, glowing in an array of dazzling colours, bright rain beams hang from the trees, casting kaleidoscopic lights that dance to the rhythm of the music. The air is alive with vibrant hues, infectious energy, and the sound of upbeat tunes, creating a carnival atmosphere that’s as much about the sights and sounds as it is about the pure joy of being part of the celebration.

Green Power, the Green Women projection celebrates the post-traumatic growth, psychologically and in nature, taking place in Carr Bank’s 1859 greenhouse. Inspired by the medieval carvings in Southwell Minster participants of the Green Power project made ceramic faces to flip the patriarchy! The looping text projected on the long windbreak is written by participants in creative writing workshops.

The Art Power project at Mansfield Museum was founded in January 2022 in response to the increased number of calls to domestic and sexual support services as we came out of the pandemic. Since then the project has delivered over two hundred workshops, trips, and events, and engaged with eighty women including thirty participants who have been involved for more than two years. The project aims to provide creative and caring activities connected with the museum’s collection, it offers opportunities for making art and making friends in a safe space, to promote healing from trauma and develop hopeful futures.

Food court, an area to enhance your Light Night experience, indulge in a culinary delight at our winter food court. With a variety of options to keep you warm, it's the perfect way to begin or end your enchanting visit.

Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 February:

In addition to the extended Light Trail, we will have the Nottingham Samba Collective band playing live in LED uniforms, face painting, walkabout entertainers and due to how much you all loved it, the Silent Disco!

Monday 17 February:

We will have a more relaxed viewing experience with just the Light Trail to walk around and enjoy.

This event is funded by Mansfield District Council, through the Destination Mansfield project which is funded by HM Government. 

Please note:

Due to the popularity of the 2024 event (yayyyy!) we are charging for this year so we can assess attendee numbers and allocate enough security, first aid, toilets and barriers. Tickets are available above, £3 per adult and £2 per child (under 18 year olds) and under 2's are free but still need a ticket.

We will have only two entrances and three exits for this year’s event and a direction of flow around the trail for the public. Entrances are from the playground side of the bandstand area and the bottom of the park near the lower Bath Lane entrance. Exits are from the Bath Lane middle entrance, near the Petanque Club, the top of the Park to the right hand side when looking at the Carr Bank Hotel building and the bottom of the park near the lower Bath Lane entrance.

This is from what we have learned from the first event in 2024 and is to ensure safety for all our attendees.

 

 

Accessibility

As with the 2024 event, we have a limited amount of blue badge parking for Mansfield Light Night, from 4pm-9pm on Saturday 15, Sunday 16 and Monday 17 February 2025, in Carr Bank Hotel’s car park, located on Windmill Lane. Please note, this is still a functioning car park for the businesses on site (the hotel, café and hairdressers etc) but we will be able to utilise around half of the car park for 20-30 vehicles. Spaces will be allocated on a first come first served basis and a blue badge must be shown on arrival. A Steward will be on entrance to try to ensure a smooth arrival for all our attendees, it may be busy so please be patient. 

As this event relies on electricity, there will be cables around the site, so please be aware of cable covers and small portable ramps when you plan your visit.

We have an accessible toilet on site throughout, located in the middle of the event, near the Bandstand.

We have our Lost Child and First Aid gazebos, which provide a quiet area for anyone who should want a break from the event. Within our event equipment, we have ear defenders and some sensory toys/ items, should anyone forget to bring their own.

On Monday 17 February, we have a relaxed viewing of the dazzling displays, this could be an ideal day to visit for those with sensory requirements, disabilities, or anyone who prefers a quieter, more accessible environment.

What to remember for Mansfield Light Night

• Torches, glow sticks, anything that lights up to be part of the illumination
• Warm clothes and waterproofs, it is February, and England, so lots of layers, grab your hat, wellies, scarf, umbrellas and gloves and get nice and toasty as you walk around
• Water, hydration is key to any fun event
• We have food vendors on site to help keep you warm and comfortable, they do accept card, but as we are on a park, we cannot guarantee connectivity, so please bring cash along just in case
• The park is dog friendly, so if you decide to bring your furry friend, please remember to pick up and bin their poop.
• We have first aid, lost child (upon entering the event, please make your way to the lost child tent for a wristband that you can write your contact number on and pop it on your child) and toilets on the park during this event
• £5 cash for your headset to join in the Silent Disco (this will be returned to you when you return the headset)
• The car park on Windmill Lane is owned by Carr Bank hotel, so this park has no council parking, the same as all year round, so please plan your journey with this in mind
• The park does have lampposts on site, but it will be dark at some parts of this event, so please take your time, stick to the paths and use your torch if you can't see well
• This is a park, filled with nature and the fun quirks that come with it, so if you go off the path, there may be uneven ground and even the odd tree root, so watch our for tripping hazards.
• Following on from this, this is where lots of wildlife live and grow, and we are very proud of our Green Flag award for this park, so please hold on to your litter and take it home, or put it in one of the bins provided

How to get to Mansfield Light Night

We expect this to be a busy event and we can’t wait to welcome visitors from near and far to Carr Bank Park.

Parking

• Bath Lane on street parking, NG 18 2BU
• Newgate Lane Car Park NG18 2HG – 15 minute walk
• Clumber Street car park NG18 1NB – 10 minute walk
• Toothill Lane long stay (NG18 1NJ) – 14 minute walk
• Handley Arcade car park short stay (NG18 1NJ) – 13 minute walk
• Toothill Road short stay (NG18 1NW) 13 minute walk 

All Mansfield District Council car parks can be found at on our parking pages (link opens in new window).

Buses

Stagecoach run buses to Mansfield Bus Station from Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield, Newark, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Sheffield. They also run buses from the Bus Station and Leeming Street stops to Nursery Street and Bath Lane near Carr Bank Park. Details of the services can be found at on the Stagecoach website (link opens in new window). You can also plan Stagecoach bus journeys on their plan a journey page (link opens in new window).
To Nursery Street: Buses 1, 11 and 12.
To Bath Street: Buses 14, 15, 15a, 16 and 201.

Trains

Light Night is a 19-minute walk from Mansfield Train Station, via Station Road, Mansfield Bus Station, Market Street, Market Place, Leeming Street and Bath Lane. Trains to Mansfield from Worksop and Nottingham run throughout the day and until 11pm on Monday to Saturday and 9pm on Sundays.

Walking and cycling

If you are walking or cycling, take extra care in the dark. Cyclists should keep their distance from buses and larger vehicles - they may turn suddenly and not see you. You can walk with your bicycle around the Night Light displays or secure it in the park. 

Nottinghamshire Police has information about staying safe while out and using public transport: Visit their Nottinghamshire Police website (link opens in new window).