Dusk Til Dark: 500 glowing orbs light up Weymouth

Weymouth is lighting up this weekend. Dusk Til Dark, the town's free trail of light and sound installations, runs from Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 September 2026, and its centrepiece is Wave, 500 glowing orbs hung in the shape of a breaking sea wave over Westham Bridge, BBC News reported on 24 September.

The event is organised by We Are Weymouth, the town's business improvement district, with Activate Performing Arts, the Dorset charity that produces the Inside Out Dorset festival. The BBC says this is its sixth year.

What is Wave?

Wave is a touring installation by the artists Squidsoup. According to the organisers, each of its 500 orbs holds its own LED lights, speaker and small computer, and the orbs are linked so that light and sound move through them as you walk underneath. It is lit from 6pm to 10pm on all three nights.

Instead of one big show, this year's event is a trail of static installations that people wander between at their own pace. On the Friday and Saturday evenings the space beneath Wave hosts early evening yoga and a drawing session, and on the Saturday dancers from Activate's Dorset Youth Dance and The Remix groups perform there.

What else is on across Weymouth?

The trail spreads through the town centre and along the seafront. We Are Weymouth lists a laser light show on the Esplanade, artwork by students of Coastland College on the balcony of the New Vic Hotel and a sound bath played through the beach speakers. The organisers also promise illuminated window displays, and the BBC mentions glowing dancing figures on rooftops.

Everything is free and suitable for all ages. The Friday drawing workshop and the Saturday yoga need tickets because places are limited, and the BBC advises checking the schedule and timings before setting off.

How do you get there from Bournemouth?

By train is simplest for an evening out. South Western Railway runs direct services from Bournemouth and Poole to Weymouth, and Westham Bridge and the Esplanade are both within walking distance of Weymouth station. Check the times of the last trains back before you go, as a 10pm finish leaves little margin.

The Bournemouth Guide's page on travel information covers rail and road links, and its guide to getting around Bournemouth without a car covers the local side.

What it means for visitors

It is a busy cultural weekend on this stretch of coast. Bournemouth has its own free festival at the same time: Arts by the Sea fills the Lower Gardens on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September. Guests staying a few nights could do both, one evening in each town, and our September what's on guide lists the rest.

Weymouth's harbour had a busy summer of its own, as our report on Dorset's harbours explains. For a weekend in town with trips along the coast, the Bournemouth Guide's what's on calendar is updated by date, and Flexiestays' short-term stays cover a night or two on the West Cliff. The Help Centre explains how self check-in works if you get back late from Weymouth.