IRVINE’S Scottish Maritime Museum is getting ready to dazzle as part of its every first Festival of Light.

The iconic Linthouse building will be set aglow between Wednesday, November 30, and Saturday, December 3, which will see a wide variety of events take place across the Harbourside, including a free firework display to mark St Andrew’s Day.

A free water-themed sculpture trail will be introduced by international light artists Aether & Hemera who are exhibiting their work in Scotland for the very first time.

Incredible acrobatic performances within the Linthouse itself, a lantern parade and closing fireworks on Saturday, December 3, are also on offer.

The four-day festival, which will run from dusk to 10pm daily, will begin on St Andrew’s Day when the Saltire blazes across the night sky in a stunning, free pyrotechnic display over Irvine Harbour.

The free illumination Light Trail at the heart of the festival – which has also been made possible through funding from North Ayrshire Council, Creative Scotland, Arts & Business Scotland through a New Arts Sponsorship Grant, Caledonian MacBrayne, Booth Welsh and in-kind sponsorship from NPL Estates will feature three beautiful, sculpted light installations.

Irvine Times:

Created by the trailblazing art and design collective Aether and Hemera, ‘Voyage’, ‘On the Wings of Freedom’ and ‘Dreamt Vessels’ will twinkle along the River Irvine and within the museum courtyard.

The hundreds of brightly coloured and handcrafted origami boats and butterflies explore freedom, imagination and travel. These and illuminated boats and buildings along the Harbourside will take visitors on a magical journey between 4pm and 10pm each day.

Nearby, at the Harbourside Museum, the colossal façade of the A-listed Linthouse will be animated for the first time in its 150 years with pulsating colours for the illumination Light and Aerial Art Spectacular.

Inside the glass roofed former shipyard, suspended from the original girders, Spinal Chord will perform gravity defying aerial acrobatics on rope silks and trapeze high above beautiful boats and awesome relics of maritime engineering.

Dancing rays and radiant beams will shine a light over the aerial acrobatics as well as 20 historic vessels and exhibits as part of the moving, ‘theatre in the round’ ticketed performance, which will take place four times each day.

 The free illumination Lantern Parade, created in collaboration with Harbour Arts Centre and Ayrshire Youth Arts, will take place at 6pm on Saturday, December 3.

Irvine Times:

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “I encourage everyone to take the time to share – be it a conversation, pot of tea, or even invite someone to the many St Andrew’s Day events happening up and down the country, such as illumination : Harbour Festival of Light.”

David Mann, Director of the Scottish Maritime Museum, added: “We have been overwhelmed with the support we have received to create a new national celebration for St Andrew’s Day and showcase Ayrshire and Arran as an exciting, year-round destination.

“Illumination, which centres on beautiful, internationally commissioned design and complements our growing art collection, will be the perfect start to the festive season for visitors from Scotland and beyond.”

 “An amazing, multi sensory celebration, we hope illumination goes on to grow into a must-see annual event.”

 Councillor Alex Gallagher, Cabinet Member for Economy, North Ayrshire Council, said: “We are delighted to support the winter light spectacular which will take place at the Scottish Maritime Museum and Irvine Harbourside to celebrate St Andrew’s Day. This exciting, new event will attract visitors from near and far and will provide a welcome boost to tourism in North Ayrshire.”