This post is sponsored by Stellar Projects. All opinions are my own.
The Teesside winter event calendar is full of fantastic things to do, but nothing gets me more excited than Nightfall. And I think everyone was buzzing when Stellar Projects announced they were bringing the sparkling, glittering event back for 2021, especially after it was held online for 2020. It was like there was an electricity amongst all of Teesside, with everyone ready to grab their tickets!
And Nightfall 2021 definitely didn’t disappoint. It felt so magical to be back out in the night air, gazing at light art, listening to music, and just soaking up the atmosphere. It was truly fantastic and an absolute triumph for the Stellar Projects team! Everywhere I looked, I was seeing smiling faces, little’uns in total awe of the lights, and so much colour and fun.
While I could write a whole essay about why it was such a success, I thought I’d break this post down into the best bits of Nightfall. That way, we can start to get super excited for next year (which I think is going to be even better), and reminisce on the 2021 event.
1. The location
I can’t even explain to you how fabulous Stewart Park was for Nightfall. When I saw that was where it was going to be held, I was really pleased! Stewart Park is such a huge space with lots of different landscapes to explore, like lakes and woodland. The thought of seeing them transformed was so exciting and it was even better than I imagined. It was familiar, but also completely different. I could’ve been anywhere in the world, but there were still recognisable spots. It was incredible!
2. The food in the courtyard
Nightfall is based around a trail, so you don’t miss a thing, and at the end of the 2021 edition was a courtyard filled with food vendors. You all know I love a bite to eat, so it was fantastic to see so many options! There was everything from Fat Hippo burgers to GRK gyros. There were vegan crepes and beautiful hot chocolates, to parmos and loaded fries. There was something to warm absolutely everyone’s tummy.
3. Submergence by Squidsoup
All of the installations at Nightfall 2021 were fabulous, but there are some that are completely burned into my memory. One of those is Submergence by Squidsoup! This piece featured thousands of lights hanging from a rig that you could move beneath. All of the lights breathed and moved with the music, creating an amazing experience, whether you’re looking at the piece from afar or from in amongst the strings of lights. It was simply breathtaking.
4. Rainbow In The Dark by Benjamin Clegg
This was another piece that completely captured everyone’s hearts and took social media by storm. Benjamin Clegg used the fantastic power of water and light to create a colourful rainbow that reflected on the Stewart Park lake. It was beautiful to see up close, but even more sensational when viewed from the other side of the water. It was so magical and it was so special to hear the ripples of “wow” when everyone walked by.
5. Shadowdance by Impossible
Is there anything more joyful than seeing adults and littles alike having a blast? Shadowdance was an invitation to forget your inhibitions and create fun shadows by dancing. There were super bright colours and lights that cast shadows against white sheets, and the effect was superb! Of course, I had to have a go and it was so much fun, but it was definitely the excitement of the kids that made it.
6. End Over End by Studio Vertigo
I think the overarching theme of Nightfall is to awaken the inner child and allow yourself to be amazed. And End Over End definitely made my inner child come out, because what could be more exciting for a child than a giant rainbow slinky? It was so simplistic, but so cute!
7. The live music line up
Base Camp Boro curated a sensational line up of live music acts for Nightfall 2021 for us all to enjoy while we ate in the courtyard. Having that extra bit of atmosphere was great for the event and brilliant for thousands of people (17,000 attendees, to be exact!) to discover new artists. We got to listen to Cousin Matthew while we tucked into our parmo and they was fab! They played some great covers and got so many people singing!
8. The performances and storytelling
As if the lights, art, music and food weren’t enough, there were also performances and storytelling to enjoy! These included the ever-joyful Moths At Work by Pif-Paf, which features two moths, a bike, and a giant lightbulb; the marvellous Whippet Tales puppet show from local faves Whippet Up; and Magic Lantern by Ian and Jo Douglas, which took place at a little caravan with shadow puppets, music and fun stories.
9. The festive and childlike feeling
As I mentioned before, the top thing that I think everyone could take away from Nightfall 2021 was the reminder to let your inner child out. We were all invited to be amazed and in awe of the unusual and unique. But it also really kickstarted my festive feeling too! There’s nothing quite like being out in the crisp night air, looking at twinkling lights, eating warm food, and seeing all the excitement on everyone else’s face to get you in the mood for Christmas.
While I could go on and on about more best bits from Nightfall 2021, we would be here forever! But take my word for it, this event was a true triumph and I can’t wait for next year’s edition. I hope it’s got you excited too! And if you want to be the first to know when tickets go on sale, make sure you follow Stellar Projects on Facebook or Instagram.
What were your favourite parts of this event? Will you be visiting next year too?
