Festival of Lights (Lyon)

Fête des lumières
Lyon during the 2008 Festival of Lights, seen from Fourvière hill.
Observed by	Lyon, France
Observances	Candles at windows, light shows in public and historic buildings
Date	Around December 8
Frequency	Annual

The Festival of Lights (French: Fête des lumières, [fɛt de lymjɛʁ]) in Lyon, France is a popular event that originally aimed at expressing gratitude toward Mary, mother of Jesus around December 8 of each year.^[2] This unique Lyonnaise tradition dictates that every house place candles along the outsides of all the windows to produce a spectacular effect throughout the streets. The festival includes other activities based on light and usually lasts four days, with the peak of activity occurring on the 8th. The two main focal points of activity are typically the Basilica of Fourvière which is lit up in different colours, as well as the Place des Terreaux, which hosts a different light show each year.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}