The northern lights of Aberdeen were as bright as they could be last night as the city launched an annual arts festival.
The four-day Spectra event has become a fixture of the winter calendar and brings in artists from as far afield as Canada.
Crowds queued up round the block despite the cold to get into Union Terrace Gardens which was transformed into a shimmering kaleidoscope of colours.
Visitors young and old flooded into the park with most of them heading straight for this year’s star attraction, the illuminated musical see-saws titled Wave Field.
David Anderson and Catherine Guyan were attending their first ever Spectra with 11-year-old Cassidy.
Ms Guyan said: “It’s a great opportunity for kids to come along and see this type of thing.”
“It’s nice to see them doing something with the gardens,” Mr Anderson added.
Cassidy added: “It looks amazing.”
However for others the festival, which is now in its fifth year, has become a highlight of their calendar.
Douglas McRae, 27, said: “It’s lovely, we have come every year for the last two years.”
There are another 14 installations on the site, including interactive light-up bicycles and a display of fluorescent shapes on the archways which includes the work of 400 school children from across the region.
A number of other landmarks elsewhere in the city have also been enlisted, with His Majesty’s Theatre transformed into a giant projection telling the Greek myth of Orpheus and Euridyce.
While the lights have also been shone on the courtyard of Marischal College.
And this year has an added musical element, with 23 acts performing in the Tunnels and Unit 51 during the event.
The project has been led by Andy Brydon, director of Curated Place which produces Spectra.
He said: “It’s a challenge to meet the expectations and come up with something new and different each year, and finding the kind of artists that fit in with the event.
“Hopefully we get the same number of visitors as last year, if not more, and hopefully everyone makes the most of what we have on offer here and the musical programme.”
