Wembley Park’s ‘A Guiding Light’: A Celestial Christmas Trail
36 banners, overhead lights, and festive installations transform Olympic Way this winter
This Christmas, Olympic Way glows courtesy of Douglas Green and Louisa Smurthwaite’s returning installation, ‘A Guiding Light’, filling Wembley Park with 36 seven-metre-tall banners charting moonrise and sunset. Overhead luminaries sway gently above, adding rhythm and movement to the boulevard.
Hand-drawn suns and moons recall humanity’s fascination with the night sky, from the Northern Lights to distant constellations. The trail is part of a wider festive programme. ‘The Wishing Tree’ invites visitors to leave messages and hopes, while ‘From Saint to Santa’ explores the evolution of Father Christmas. Elsewhere, neon-lit K6 telephone boxes and Jason Bruges Studio’s Shadow Wall interact with the architecture, adding whimsy and surprise.
Accessible, pram-friendly, and just a short walk from Wembley Park Station, ‘A Guiding Light’ works for everyone: a reflective solo walk, an evening with friends, or a family outing with kids.
Elena Leo is the Culture & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
