Light shows have become a normal part of city life. In the evening people come on purpose to fountains, embankments and façades with projections. Here is what kinds of city light shows exist, how they work and which format fits if you are organising a celebration for a city.
Musical fountains
The best-known example in Moscow is the VDNKh fountains: in the warm season the jets play to music with lighting in the evening. A program controls jet height, colour and rhythm. The schedule and start time depend on the season, so check the park’s official website on the day.
Façade projections
Video mapping projects animation onto a building so that the architecture “comes alive”: windows light up one by one, walls seem to collapse and rebuild. In Moscow such shows appear at the Circle of Light festival, on stadium façades and historic buildings. Abroad, the shows at Registan Square in Samarkand and the pyramids of Giza are well known. Projection needs powerful projectors, darkness and long content preparation for a specific façade.
Laser and water shows
Lasers draw with beams in the air, on haze or on a water screen. A water screen is a wall of fine spray that video is projected on, which is why water shows are often staged on embankments and lakes. These formats need safety approvals: lasers must not hit the eyes of spectators or pilots.
What all these shows have in common
- The viewer watches from the side: the show happens on a façade, in a fountain or in the sky
- Fixed equipment or a large setup is needed
- They only work in the dark and often depend on the weather
- A one-off show costs from hundreds of thousands to millions of rubles
A show where the square itself glows
We do a different format: a light show where the crowd becomes the screen. A QR code on the stage screen, people open the page in the browser, and thousands of flashlights across the square flash to the music, run in waves, light up by sections. Commands travel via ultrasound through the square’s sound system, so an overloaded mobile network does not matter.
- Every spectator takes part rather than watching
- No rigging, projectors, flight or pyrotechnics approvals
- Works on a square, in a stadium, on an embankment, in a hall
- Can be combined with projection or fireworks: first the crowd lights up, then the façade or the sky
Such a finale suits a city day, festival or season opening. More in a city day show, what to use instead of fireworks and a drone show alternative.
FAQ
When does the VDNKh light show start? The time depends on the season and changes; the park publishes the current schedule.
How much does a light show for a square cost? A phone show is priced by the number of spectators. For example, 5,000 people cost 120,000 ₽. See the calculator.
The page for city celebration organisers: city day show.
