Pop-up immersive light and sound experience unveiled in Cork city centre

A large scale public interactive experience expected to “mesmerise” visitors and locals in Cork city has been unveiled in the plaza at Emmet Place.

Solas is a light and sound experience which will run every day until December 21, from 4pm to 11pm.

The immersive pop-up is in lieu of the traditional Glow installation at Bishop Lucey Park, where construction works are due to begin as part of the park’s multi-million euro refurbishment.

The new installation at Emmet Place is organised by Cork City Council and forms the centre of ‘Corkmas’, the local authority’s festive campaign for Cork.

“Corkmas is about supporting local and celebrating, discovering, and re-discovering the many experiences, and traditions, new and old, that make Christmas time in Cork so unique,” the council’s chief executive, Ann Doherty, said.

“To encourage footfall to the city we are working closely with the city’s retail, hospitality, and cultural sector to better amplify the city’s diverse programme of festive activities.

“We ask people to support local this Christmas, shop sustainably and check out the city’s unique festive offering on corkmas.ie which features details of Solas and the very popular Ferris Wheel.” 

The public has been invited to stand within the pop-up installation at Emmet Place and “be mesmerised by a 360° light show where a canopy of overhead orbs create and diffuse a rainbow of colour in time to the music”.

Visitors will have the opportunity to conduct the illuminations via a state of the art, interactive touch screen.

Each weekend from November 24 to December 17, Emmet Place and Solas will be the site of “a hub of family friendly Christmas fun”, with a host of musical performances, Christmas singalongs and festive entertainment.

In addition to Solas beginning, the streets of Cork will glitter and shine in the run-up to Christmas as over 7km of energy-efficient LED Christmas lights are turned on at Patrick St, Grand Parade, Oliver Plunkett St and adjoining streets such as Opera Lane and Academy St by Cork City Council and Cork Business Association working with traders and by independent outlets.

Cork City Council has also installed 60 Christmas trees across the city centre, suburbs, towns and villages, all which will have their Christmas lights switched on this weekend.

The preparations for Cork’s Christmas celebration have been underway since the beginning of November with six Cork City Council staff members and a crew of 17 electricians working hard to ensure that Cork shines brightly this Christmas.

An official public Christmas lights switch-on event was ruled out again this year due to safety concerns related to crowd crushing and difficulty in facilitating emergency access.

See www.corkmas.ie for more information on Solas and other city events this Christmas.