The multi-award-winning Light Up Trails returns to Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Romsey this Christmas, marking the fifth consecutive year the popular Hampshire attraction has hosted the festive event. This year’s edition has been completely reimagined under the title Radiance, which organizers describe as their most ambitious technical and creative undertaking to date.
According to In Common, the 2026 display is structured as a journey through five distinct thematic zones: Starlight, Ember, Colour, Music, and Snow. The event aims to transform the gardens—home to significant botanical collections—into an immersive after-dark experience. Creative director Libby Battaglia and hospitality director Lucinda Croft noted that the success of previous years prompted them to expand the scale of the installations significantly.
A primary feature of the new trail is the Ember Garden, a zone designed by artist James Smith with sound design by Thomas George. This area utilizes more than 16,000 individual points of light to simulate warmth and movement, incorporating fire-like forms and suspended glowing rings. The trail also includes a central Christmas Village situated beneath a new Christmas tree, providing seasonal food and beverage options for visitors.
Organizers emphasized that Radiance is intended to be a multi-sensory experience. The journey begins under a star arch, designed to signal a transition into an immersive landscape. Tickets and further details regarding the event, which runs throughout the festive season, are available via the official Light Up Trails website.