HighLight: Carnival of Lights

An octopus with flashing tentacle drums, a scrap-metal dinosaur and an interactive singing parrot walk into a garden. It sounds like the start of a bizarre joke, but the only reason you'll be laughing is the sheer delight that HighLight: Carnival of Lights 2018 will bring.

The theme of this year's carnival is 'Wild Things', promising to take the popular annual festival to exciting, uncharted territories. Which of the five zones will you explore first? Wherever you go, just keep an eye out for the many creepy crawlies and mythical creatures lighting up Riddiford Gardens this Labour Weekend.

Those who have been before know that HighLight is a light festival like no other, blending world-class, interactive installations with the sort of large-scale yet tight-knit community feel only found in Wellington. Dazzling, Insta-worthy light features and performances span the expanse of the garden, with stations conveniently set up where you can enjoy a hot drink or just sit down for a bit.

Daylight saving starts in October each year, and over in Lower Hutt the locals take their appreciation of light to whole new levels. Wait for dusk to fall, don your puffer jackets and don't miss this local treasure of a festival.