A trader at this year’s Bristol Light Festival has said that the 2025 event seemed to be far quieter and emptier than previous years, and said as a result he may not return with his stall Mr Glow next year.
Austin Ferrante, from Fishponds, ran a stall in Queen Square during the festival, selling various lights and things that children and families can interact with. Some have pointed his stall, which is not affiliated with Bristol Light Festival, could even be a part of the light trail in its own right.
A regular to the festival, as well as other trails during the winter and Christmas periods, Austin said he has seen a sharp decline in his business’ turnover this year, and claimed there seemed to be fewer people actually embarking on the trail itself this year. And this is despite the 2025 event boasting numerous debut installations and fan favourites alike.
“Normally we do exceptionally well,” Austin told BristolLive. “But our turnover is tiny in relation to previous years – it’s like maybe 25 per cent. There’s no queue for the swings [Swing Song installation] when there would be normally. So it’s really, really quiet.
“It’s been really dry weather. So we have no idea whether it’s just a case of not enough publicity and people just don’t know about it, or something else. But usually we find that it gets busier as you go on, and this time it seems to be getting quieter.”
Organisers at Bristol Light Festival have told BristolLive that this feedback differs to others they have received this year, however. They also say that this year’s festival ‘drew hundreds of thousands of visitors’ across its 10 day run.
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While working the stall, Austin said he noticed a drastic change in numbers this year, especially in comparison to previous years and the other events at which he sets up his stall. He said: “Normally you would have the queue for the swings curving all around Queen Square. But they’ve even broken the barrier so you can get to it a lot quicker. There’s a food village near to our stall and there only ever seems to be one or two people sat on the seats.
“I can imagine the businesses here have paid a lot of rent to be there and I don’t see how they can be making any money. It’s not just me affected. It’s everyone. We’ve even spoken to the actual organisers’ hut, where they sell official merchandise and they said they’ve sold hardly anything.”
Austin attends many light trails in the winter, including Christmas events and light switch-ons, and said these are always busy for him. “It’s been glorious weather, in terms of February. So it’s not like it’s been too wet for people to come out. I just think because it’s free, there’s really no cost to you, there’s really no barrier to coming out and enjoying it, and just supporting it,” he added.
“People just aren’t there. Maybe it’s because parking is a lot in the centre, but there are buses you can get, so there are ways of getting there. Even if you come out and do a little bit of the trail, it all just supports and helps us to run.”
In fact the event, which this year ran from January 31 until February 9, has apparently been so quiet for Austin that there’s much thought around whether the Mr Glow stall will return next year. He admits: “It has put us off coming back, especially in the middle of the week. I don’t think we’ll be there next year.”
One thing Austin wonders could make a difference to the event, is the possibility of changing its dates and times. “Last year it was on the cusp of half term,” he said. “So that weekend was busy, so it might be better to move the event closer to the half term holiday.
“I think the concern around this from organisers was that it’s not as dark so early. But then there are other trails that are on a lot later than this, so you just start it later. It’s certainly something to do during a half term break when you’ve got the kids and you’re trying to find activities. Just take them for a trip to the trail one day.”
A spokesperson for Bristol Light Festival commented: “We are aware of non-official pedlars selling merchandise at certain Bristol Light Festival sites. We want to clarify that these individuals are not affiliated with the festival in any official capacity and have not been included in our authorised merchandise selection.
“This year, we have expanded our official merchandise range to offer festival-approved, sustainably-sourced products that align with our commitment to environmental responsibility. As such, non-official sellers have not been featured in our marketing or promotional efforts.
“To support the festival’s sustainability efforts and help keep it free for all to enjoy, we encourage purchasing only from our official merchandise channels and to support our city’s businesses by shopping locally.”
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