FAQ

Lumen is an annual, free, all-ages festival that is open to the public and run by the City of Waterloo’s Arts and Creative Industries team, Create Waterloo. The event features the work of artists as they explore the interplay of light, art, and technology in installations located throughout uptown Waterloo.

Lumen starts at 6:00 p.m. and runs until 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Most of the installations will require low light, so we encourage you to visit once the sun sets, which should be at 7:30 P.M.

Yes! The entire festival is free and you do not need to register for a ticket.

At Lumen, attendees can expect to immerse themselves in a unique festival that celebrates creativity and technology through a wide array of art installations, interactive light displays, and innovative performances. The event showcases the talents of local and international artists who use light, sound, and digital media to transform public spaces into captivating experiences. Visitors can explore various exhibits, enjoy live performances, and participate in hands-on activities, all set in a vibrant and engaging atmosphere designed to inspire wonder and creativity. Visit our 2026 Installations page to find out more about what you can expect to experience.

Yes. There are paper maps that can be picked up at any of the Information Booths during the night (supplies limited). Additionally, the Google Map of the festival can be found at this link.

No, community members of all ages are invited to participate.

We recommend using public transportation such as the ION, as parking near the festival will be limited. Use our Festival Map on Google to see how the installations are spaced out around uptown and to plan your best path. There is no 'official' start point and we encourage you to discover the unique installations as you wander.

There is a lot of free parking in uptown Waterloo, with designated accessible parking available at Waterloo City Hall. Visit this map to locate parking.
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Public transit like the ION is also available and can be a great option, as traffic can become quite heavy throughout the night in uptown.
‍For Lumen 2026, please note that there are some parking lot closures including: Waterloo Public Library lower lot and the Visitor Information Centre lot.  

Washrooms can be accessed at the following locations:
Visitor Information Centre (10 Father David Bauer Drive)
City Hall (100 Regina Street South) Accessible washrooms and baby changing tables available
‍Heritage Green (148 King St South) Accessible autonomous washroom
‍Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex (101 Father David Bauer Drive) Accessible washrooms and baby changing tables available Waterloo Park Washroom (located near the 1820 Log Building)
Dupont and Caroline Parking Lot: portable washroom stalls

There is a Food Truck Zone located at the Visitor Information Centre. We also encourage you to visit the local businesses in the Lumen festival area that will be open for the night.

There are also water bottle refill stations and water fountains located at City Hall and Waterloo Public Square.

Yes, pets are allowed at Lumen! We welcome furry friends, but we ask owners to ensure proper behavior and be mindful of their pets' limitations. Lumen is a well-attended event with lots of stimulation that may be too much for your furry pal. If you do bring your pet, please keep them on a leash, clean up after them, and be considerate of the event's atmosphere and other attendees.
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While there is no formally designated animal relief area at Lumen, there are several green spaces throughout the festival footprint that can serve as comfortable rest spots for your animals, including Waterloo Park.

Dress comfortably for an evening outdoors. Lumen happens rain or shine and you should be properly dressed for the outdoor weather. Comfortable shoes are recommended, as the installations are spread out across uptown.
If you would like to get into the Lumen spirit, feel free to dress in your favourite glow-in-the-dark or light-up accessories!

Lumen happens throughout uptown Waterloo, with the distance between furthest activations, from one edge of the map to the other, being close to 2.5 km. Most installations are located between 200 meters of each other, with an entire 'loop' of the festival being on average 5.0 km distance.

There's lots to do at Lumen and we cannot guarantee you'll be able to experience everything in the one night. Depending on how long you spend at each installation and the amount of other's also participating, you should prepare for a minimum of two hours at Lumen. One installation will remain past September 19: Plenum.

The festival will continue rain or shine! However, in the event of severe weather, the festival may be cancelled for the safety of everyone involved. Stay tuned to our social media channels and website for real-time updates during the event.

Absolutely, feel free to take photos and video of your time at Lumen! We ask that you do so respectfully, follow any safety guidelines in place, and remember to be mindful of the artist and other visitors. If you share your photos on socials, don’t forget to tag us—we’d love to see your shots! You can tag us at @CreateWaterloo and by using the hashtag #LumenWaterloo.

If at any time you don’t feel safe at Lumen, please go to the nearest Information Booth and speak to a Lumen Volunteer there. Each Information Booth will have access to a radio which connects them with our festival security.

Yes, please bring all lost and found items to the Visitor information Centre, located 10 Father David Bauer Drive. Lost items will be available for pickup at Waterloo City Hall. Please contact lumen@waterloo.ca to see if your lost item was found.

Yes, First Aid Services will be on site located at the Visitor Information Centre. If you are unable to get to this First Aid booth, please notify a Lumen volunteer (who can be identified wearing a safety vest) or Festival Security, and help will be brought to you.

Absolutely. Lumen is a festival that requires moving throughout uptown Waterloo to explore the various installations. There are various locations to lock your bike throughout uptown Waterloo. Please be mindful of sharing the trails with everyone.

There is no designated charging area, but there are various electrical outlets in Waterloo Public Square that you can use to charge your phone. Please do not unplug anything already in the outlets and do not leave your phone unattended while charging.

Create Waterloo, the City of Waterloo's arts and creative industries team, puts out an open call each year. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and join our What's Happening newsletter to make sure you don't miss the next open call.

The City of Waterloo is committed to working with individual community members to make sure Lumen is as accessible as possible.

ASL interpretation is also available. Stop by the nearest Information Booth to get connected with the ASL interpreter during Lumen.

We are happy to work with you on a specific accommodation plan for Lumen. Please contact lumen@waterloo.ca for more information.

Please contact lumen@waterloo.ca to connect with someone on our team.