Illuminate Art Walk returns to downtown Raleigh for holiday season

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Downtown Raleigh is glowing with holiday lights with a special second edition of the Illuminate Art Walk on display through the extended holiday season.

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has unveiled 15 art pieces along Fayetteville Street and Glenwood South. The installation is to help increase foot traffic downtown and support an array of local, regional, and international artists across the city. The first edition was unveiled in 2020 during the height of the pandemic as many businesses sat empty and dark as a way to illuminate the city, increase foot traffic, and support the art industry.

Many of the pieces are interactive and all are light-based. Visitors will find a field of lit mushrooms on Fayetteville Street, a Bonzai tree brought to life through color, and a crowd favorite walk-through ornament in front of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts among others.

The centerpiece of this year's exhibit is Chimes, an internationally recognized piece that has traveled around the globe. Chimes is on Fayetteville Street at City Plaza. The lights are controlled by moving the chimes in the center.

"They're having a great time," said Drew Beavers, a father of two who brought his children to see the display. "Bright light that you get to control, I think it's beautiful. And, it's so great that we have something to come to do, especially the kids I need to get out of the house. And if we can come down here and have some fun, so much better."

The 2021 Illuminate Art Walk will remain on display through January 7. The tour is self-guided, walkable, and free. Click here for a map and guide to the exhibits.