December 9, 2015 · Team HG
Provincial Executive Member Fleur Gräper-van Koolwijk and Alderman Paul de Rook will open OrbitFest 2015. On Friday, December 18 at 4:30 PM, they will light the first torch at Winter Prosperity at the Lage der Aa. They then sail by Orbit boat to the M.S. Ludina at the Ebbingebrug, where the light artwork by Minerva students will be unveiled at 5:00 PM.
The opening ceremony marks the official start of the free-to-attend, futuristic winter light festival taking place on and around the Ebbingekwartier grounds and at various locations in the city center.
A Channel to the Stars
The Orbit boat departs from the Lage der Aa at fixed times. It sails past various lighthouses and art objects to the Ebbingekwartier site, the luminous heart of OrbitFest.
Winter Light Expo
Between 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM, the continuous winter light expo featuring light installations and experiments by northern makers and hackers takes place on the Ebbingekwartier grounds. NP3 M0Bi hosts light workshops where participants can create light works, and on the ground floor, there is a Winter Market with light-themed gifts and winter catering. Want to learn more about stars and the universe? Flash lectures can be attended at Platform GRAS.
Sitting still is not an option.
From the Ebbingekwartier site, the other festival locations are easily accessible on foot and by bicycle. For the city centre also lights up during OrbitFest. Several impressive light installations can be seen on top of the Tourist Information Office on the Grote Markt. Let’s Gro HQ, on the corner of the Grote Markt and Poelestraat, hosts socially engaged light work and is the setting on Friday for the inspiring mini-symposium The State of the Festival: a look into the future of city festivals.
On Saturday and Sunday, the winter lab is also held here, where young and old can conduct experiments. Continuous live events take place at De Gym at Oosterstraat 13a. Here, electronic ambient and techno music by northern composers is accompanied by light art and film.
About OrbitFest
In the winter month of December, the city center of Groningen is anything but dark. With a Winter Light Expo, Light Workshops, Winter Lab, and Winter Market, the Ebbingekwartier and various locations in the city center light up during the second edition of the futuristic winter light festival OrbitFest. The free-to-attend festival takes place on December 18, 19, and 20.
More information about OrbitFest at www.orbitfest.com.
