Longleat’s annual Festival of Light is back, this year featuring Wallace and Gromit as part of a British Icons theme.
The voice of the iconic Aardman character Wallace led a special countdown alongside Morph and his creator Peter Lord at Longleat to kick off the Festival of Light, the estate’s annual lantern spectacular, on Friday 7th November.
“I couldn’t be happier, or prouder, than I am at this moment, as two great West Country institutions – Longleat and Aardman – join up for the Festival of Light, which is quite a spectacular seasonal event,” said Peter Lord, co-founder of Aardman.
“These beautifully made lanterns do full justice to the characters that we’ve created at Aardman over the years. I’m thrilled to see them so beautifully made – colourful and full of the comedy and fun that is such a big part of our work.”
Well-loved characters Shaun the Sheep, Feathers McGraw and Morph can be discovered throughout the park, along with Mossy Bottom Farm, West Wallaby Street and other iconic Aardman scenes.
Visitors are able to explore “Down South” and “Up North” on the 2.5km route, which takes in some of Britain’s most iconic landmarks – from a recreation of the streets of London to the Welsh Dragon, the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, and much more.
Scott Ashman, Head of Operations at Longleat, said: “Initial feedback from guests who have seen the build-up for the event over recent weeks is that this is going to be our best yet. When you see Tower Bridge standing alongside Big Ben next to Longleat House lit up, it is truly breathtaking.
“By their very nature, lanterns are an artistic interpretation of icons, and we hope our journey around the country will evoke and create special memories for our guests.
“We are so delighted to be working with Aardman on the eve of a special year for both of us. We will be celebrating 60 years of Longleat Safari Park in 2026, and Aardman is marking 50 years of being a global powerhouse for animation.”
The Festival of Light is on selected dates until Sunday 11th January. Tickets can be booked at longleat.co.uk
