It’s a well-known truth that we humans love glowing, sparkling things. For proof of that fact, one needs only to note the growing number and popularity of international lights festivals. A few weeks ago I blogged about the Harbin Ice Festival in China, which displays amazing frozen artworks and sculptures illuminated by flexible LED lights. Their beauty was enough to make me want to drop everything and head on over to the other side of the globe to see it for myself.

And now I’m having that same feeling about the 2012 Light Festival in Ghent, Belgium. Not only am I certain that I would enjoy a cornucopia of Belgium’s delicious chocolate and beer, I’m quite convinced I would also be blown away by the LED light installations at this festival—30 of them, to be exact. One in particular seems exceptionally intriguing: a 91-foot tall cathedral made with 55,000 color changing LED lights and constructed by Luminarie De Cagna, an Italian lighting company. The installation pays homage to Luminarie De Cagna’s almost 100 year tradition of illuminating buildings and squares on festive occasions. It began in the 1930s with candles and oil lamps, and continues to this day with waterproof LED lights.

And thanks to efficient LED light technology, the cathedral only uses 20 kilowatts of energy per hour, but can display a whole range of patterns and colors, by employing an RGB controller.

Have any of you ever visited a light festival like this one? We’d love to hear your stories!

Via DVice