Dates announced for Sidmouth's Winter Lights Festival

It will take place on Friday, February 9 and Saturday 10, Thursday 15, Friday 16 and Saturday 17, from 5.30pm until 8pm on each evening. The dates coincide with local schools' half-term week.

The festival will feature a trail of 14 illuminated art installations created by Zac Greening, running from Sidmouth Wallspace at The Ham car park, along the Ham border into the Sensory Garden Riverside Walkway, and to the end of the Ham.

The festival's theme is Save Our Seas, and each artwork will be inspired by the challenges of climate change and the actions that can be taken to combat it, both individually and collectively.

Sidmouth School of Art has been working with students from Sidmouth College and Sidmouth Primary School on their contributions to the festival.

A creative sculpture of a giant octopus made by Sidmouth Repair Café will also feature, located in the Sensory Garden. The octopus will be made from vacuum cleaner parts, with its tentacles holding examples of items such as toasters, irons and lamps that can be repaired instead of being thrown away.

The festival will also feature installations from Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub and Sidmouth School of Art including the Clamship - a kinetic sculpture made from recycled boats and a truck, inspired by the bi-valve molluscs that filter, clean and support the marine ecosystem.

Food and drink will be available to festival-goers from the Fishermen’s Shed Bar, Daisy Blue Delights, Sea, Sides and Tacos and Sidmouth Trawlers.

Louise Cole from Sidmouth School of Art said: “We are really excited to be bringing a new event to the Sidmouth calendar out of the high season – as part of our ethos to support Sidmouth to 'thrive 365'.

"The focus is well and truly on the environment and community wellbeing. We were inspired by the Scandinavian concept of stepping outside whatever the weather and connecting with nature and others, emerging from the depths of winter as Spring approaches.”