AS the dark nights draw in, a programme of colourful events promises to light up the city centre.

The city’s first Season of Light will begin today with the grand opening of the Forest of Light neon art installation in City Park.

And a series of linked events will extend the light theme through the rest of October.

The Forest of Light will be on display for free every evening until Sunday, from dusk to 10pm.

Yesterday, French light artists T.I.L.T. lit up the installation as a brief test ahead of the big unveiling.

Fifty-nine huge sculptures have been set up, using 1,700 metres of cabling, switch boxes, tools and equipment transported 550 miles by land and sea.

The show has been specifically designed to work with the mirror pool, which will be partially filled during the installation to create dazzling reflections of red, green, orange and gold.

It features red tipped reeds, huge wild thistles and luscious scarlet flowers.

Bradford Council has also commissioned a programme of animation that takes the light theme from City Park up Darley Street to the top of town.

Cecil Green Arts is leading free lantern-building workshops at 28-30 Darley Street throughout the month.

They will take place on Tuesdays from 4pm to 6pm on October 11,18 and 25; on Thursdays from 7pm to 9pm on October 6, 13, 20 and 27 and this Saturday from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

These will culminate in two lantern parades, one at Cartwright Hall in Lister Park on Saturday, October 15, at 6pm and a city-centre parade beginning in Darley Street on Friday, October 28, at 6.30pm.

Arts group Brick Box is running its Wild Woods events in and around the former Marks and Spencer shop on Darley Street on four Friday nights in October and November, beginning tomorrow.

Bradford Council’s executive member for regeneration, Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, said: “As the evenings draw in, we want to light up the city centre and make it a welcoming place for everyone.

“We want to bring new people into the city centre and this Season of Light will demonstrate just what can be done to bring empty units to life.

“It is one of our initiatives to support traders as we want the whole of the city centre to be a great shopping destination.”