About
Step back in time and enjoy a breathtaking illuminated riverscape, with masts and beams stretching into the night sky reminiscent of days when the Derry Docks were home to a fleet of working ships. For 2026 Visual Spectrum will transform our visiting Tall Ships into a unified artwork of light and reflection, presenting them in a new light that celebrates their grandeur and majesty while the timing of the display invites visitors to revel in a private viewing as the city and ships sleep. Some special installations from Wonderlights will enable a family of seals and the ghost of Dopey Dick to appear under the cover of darkness, look to the horizon and see golden sails stretching towards the night sky. This curated experience invites visitors to come at their leisure outside the trading hours of the festival and enjoy the space and time to take in the festival riverscape with the masts of visiting ships and their illuminated reflections creating a temporary but beautiful experience that disappears with dawn each day.
