A SPECTACULAR weekend of space-inspired fun is set to light up the city to start the festive season.

This year's Oxford Christmas Light Festival will be themed around 'discovery' to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings.

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Across the three-day extravaganza the city will be illuminated by a host of light and sound installations, plus revellers can enjoy the annual festive market in Broad Street, live music and dozens of free activities in venues across Oxford.

Things will kick off on Friday, November 15 with the traditional lantern parade.

Oxford Mail:

It will see hundreds of schools, community groups, artists and performers flood the city streets from 6.30pm, with the best viewing points at Queen Street Cornmarket.

Festival director Rachel Capell said the Oxford City Council team had been busy preparing for the seasonal celebration since last year.

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She explained: “The Christmas Light Festival in Oxford is a major event with lots of artists, cultural organisations and community groups all coming together for an amazing weekend of celebration.

"This year’s theme of ‘discovery’ is perfect for Oxford - a seat of learning, research, invention, and creation for more than 900 years."

She added: "Artists taking part are working with the festival, local groups, schools and cultural organisations in making remarkable pieces for Oxford residents and visitors to discover throughout the weekend.”

Oxford Mail:

Among the major light installations placed around the city centre, will be Illuminating Oxford, with special works inspired by the University Museums collections projected onto the city’s historic buildings.

Inspired by the moon landings anniversary there will also be an interactive Celestial Sound Cloud inspired by cosmic nebulae triggered by a live performance, outdoor video projections by Oxford Research Unwrapped and real images of galaxies projected at massive scale onto buildings.

The festival takes place all over the city centre with hubs of activity at Gloucester Green, Bonn Square and Broad Street.

Oxford Mail:

Workshops and activities specially designed for families will also be taking place at various locations throughout the weekend.

Last year there were149 events across the festival weekend which were attended by around 40,000 people.

Councillor Mary Clarkson, Cabinet member for Culture, said: “The Christmas lights festival is a fantastic weekend of experiences and events that’s for everyone to enjoy.

PICTURES - Spectacular scenes from past Oxford Christmas Light Festivals

"It’s great to have a weekend of free activities to kick start the festivities, whatever your age, background or where you live come and enjoy the transformation of the centre of Oxford for the lights festival.”

A full list of festival events is available via oxlightfest.com.