The official starting signal for Mainz leuchtet – Das Late Light Festival sounded at a joint press conference in the LUX Pavilion of Mainz University of Applied Sciences. Mayor Nino Haase, Katja Mailahn (Managing Director of mainzplus Citymarketing), and Professor Olaf Hirschberg (Dean of the School of Design at Mainz University of Applied Sciences) provided initial glimpses of the third edition of the festival, which will take place in downtown Mainz from September 25 to 27, 2025.
From the Rheingoldhalle to Schillerplatz: Mainz will be illuminated in exceptional light once again this year. Every day from 8 pm to 11 pm, impressive light and video projections will transform key buildings along the “Mile of Lights” into works of art. The installations are designed by the Time-Based Media degree program at the School of Design at Mainz University of Applied Sciences. The event is being organized by mainzplus Citymarketing GmbH in collaboration with the state’s capital city of Mainz. The artistic and organizational direction is being handled by professors Tjark Ihmels, Daniel Seideneder, Pascal Kulcsár, Benjamin Hohnheiser, and Olaf Hirschberg, supported by Malte Kropp, Willi Bücking, Jan Glück, and alumni Justin Peach.
In addition to popular and established venues, new buildings will also be the focus of the productions for the first time in 2025. The festival is rounded off with a diverse accompanying program of city tours and activities. For example, numerous city center businesses will remain open until 10 pm during the “Long Night” on Saturday, September 27. Some of the stores and restaurants are also planning special offers related to the topic of “light.”
Photos: Sven-Helge Czichy | Mainz University of Applied Sciences
The following buildings will be illuminated at Mainz leuchtet – Das Late Light Festival 2025: Jockel-Fuchs-Platz/Rheingoldhalle, mainz STORE, the Cathedral of St. Martin (east choir, St. Gotthard Chapel), Old Cathedral of St. John (NEW in 2025), Mainz State Theater, Deutsche Bank (Ludwigsstraße), Juwelier Leo Link GmbH (NEW in 2025), Osteiner Hof (Schillerplatz), Kirschgarten, and Bastion von Schönborn. Parallel to the installations, an exhibition in the LUX Pavilion of Mainz University of Applied Sciences in Ludwigsstraße will offer a look behind the scenes of the joint project.
The official opening of the event by Mayor Nino Haase, the management of mainzplus Citymarketing (Katja Mailahn and Marc André Glöckner), and University President Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman will take place on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 8 pm at Jockel-Fuchs-Platz/Rathausplateau.
Nino Haase, Mayor of the state’s capital city of Mainz, is looking forward to the event: “Mainz leuchtet – Das Late Light Festival has developed into one of our greatest cultural flagships in a very short space of time. Two previous incarnations of this festival have already impressively demonstrated how much it inspires people, livens up the downtown area, and sends a positive signal far beyond the city limits. I particularly appreciate the fact that culture, urban development, and the creativity of our university go hand in hand here – a partnership that is unique in Germany. I would like to thank the many people involved for their ideas, passion, and commitment in making this special project possible.”
Photos: Sven-Helge Czichy | Mainz University of Applied Sciences
“When the downtown of Mainz is illuminated, you can immediately sense the special atmosphere that makes Mainz leuchtet so special: people come together, marvel, linger for a while, and discover their city in a completely new way. The great response shows how much the festival animates our downtown and inspires guests and locals alike. The close cooperation with the state’s capital city of Mainz and Mainz University of Applied Sciences as well as with our many partners and sponsors is particularly valuable – without this strong alliance, a project of this size would not be possible. In 2025, we aim to once again put on a diverse festival that shows Mainz in a special light and visualizes the diversity of our city,” remark Katja Mailahn and Marc André Glöckner, Managing Directors of event organizer mainzplus Citymarketing.
Professor Olaf Hirschberg, Dean of the School of Design at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, says of the third year of the Late Light Festival: “As part of Mainz leuchtet, students from Mainz University of Applied Sciences create their own light installations and bring their design concepts to life in the urban space. Their works are an impressive demonstration of their love of experimenting and their dedication. At the same time, it clearly shows how our University of Applied Sciences provides impetus to the city community – where science and the public come together.”
Click here for more information: www.mainz-leuchtet.de
