Celebrating light, art, and tech in the Waterloo region, the eighth annual Lumen festival took place on Saturday, September 20th, from 6 to 11 p.m in uptown Waterloo. With over 30 installations and 50 artists, the Lumen festival invites participants of all ages to come out for a night of glowing possibilities.
Why was Lumen created?
Run annually by the City of Waterloo’s Arts and Creative Industries team (Create Waterloo), Lumen was established in 2018. The festival connects leading tech leaders, such as the Perimeter Institute, the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), and Shopify with an array of local and international artists.
What was this year’s festival like?
As a Waterloo local, I was in grade 10 in 2018 and, by coincidence, was visiting Waterloo Park on the festival’s first celebration. I recall the event being rather lowkey with not nearly as many attendees as in recent years, though I found the concept of the intersection between light, art, and tech fascinating from the start. Attending Lumen this year was a reminder of how popular an event can become.
I attended this year’s festival alongside Catherine McCulloch, a recent UW math alumnus, Sarah Ball, another recent alumnus from UW’s psychology program, and Rogan Raghavan, a fourth year statistics student.
Iqra Majeed
We kicked off the night in Waterloo Park, where our first stop was the Glow & Go booth in the park’s east gazebo. There, we grabbed free glowstick bracelets to start the night off glowing. Next, we walked along Waterloo Park and came across our first display: a series of light-up, color-changing rods. Motion sensors along the bridge responded to visitors’ presence, causing the rods to change their light pattern. The more participants and movement, the more magnified the light. This installation, called Trail, was developed by artist M. Joakim and is meant to showcase how a community can make “an experience more vibrant, impactful and bright.”
We snapped some photos in front of the display and then walked by the volunteer staff both beside the Waterloo Public Library. At the booth, I met Olivia Orlic, a Lumen volunteer and current co-op student with the City of Waterloo. Orlic decided to volunteer after being invited by her current co-op supervisor and found the event a great way for “artists to show their art pieces and [see] the community come together.” Orlic’s recommended installation? The interactive pop-up installations in the uptown square.
Iqra Majeed
After chatting, we walked by the Clay & Glass Gallery, where I snapped photos of what would be my favourite installation; Lux Array, designed by artist Luxonus. Equally-spaced squares are each slightly roasted in succession, offering a fascinating visual illusion when looking inwards. A motion sensor at the front square triggers light changes across the installation. The description of this installation was particularly striking, reminding audiences of how momentary realizations, such as noticing the motion sensor, “is like testing a lightswitch in a lucid dream; a reminder of the control you exert on your own circumstances–something we so often forget.”
Next, we headed towards the packed square to see Orlic’s favourite piece! This installation was reminiscent of inflatable tube men you’d see at car sales, brought to a whole new level. Developed by Gentilhomme, a multidisciplinary creative studio, POP! is an interactive piece where participants talk or even sing to encourage the inflatable characters to spring upwards from their boxes.
Iqra Majeed
To wrap up the night, we spotted the Golden Pretzel installation, designed by artist Esther Slevinsky. Although we only saw this piece from afar, it was actually a sensory piece that smelled of real fresh pretzels and emanated warm heat, just like a freshly baked pretzel! Participants were free to touch and take photos with this piece.
After an eventful night, I checked in with my fellow UW festival goers for their takes on our night out at Lumen. McCulloch appreciated the community aspect of the festival and getting to converse with others in the region, although she admits, “I found the installations themselves to be a bit lackluster.” As for Ball, she appreciated the festival’s layout, which enabled visitors to explore installations “at their own pace.” Overall, she was “impressed by the turnout [and] would recommend [it] to a friend.” As for Raghavan, he equally enjoyed seeing the popularity of the event among community members and the number of people “wearing their glowstick wristbands.” His favourite installation? “The pop [up] installations in the square, those were really funny.”
As for myself, I found the festival to be a memorable way of getting together with friends for an evening celebration before the weather turns too chilly. Some displays were especially unique, although I think some larger installations, especially near Waterloo Park’s Silver Lake, would have made our visit especially worthwhile. My recommendation? I would love to see the festival introduce a fireworks or drone lights show to kick off the start or end of the festival next year. Overall, Lumen’s commitment to bringing the region together through interactive artwork and a festive ambience is what shone brightest.
