Scorpion Event Solutions Delivers First Winter Light Trail for Burton Memorial Gardens

Scorpion Event Solutions is proud to have recently partnered with East Staffordshire Borough Council to deliver the town’s first Winter Light Trail, transforming the Burton Memorial Gardens into a magical, illuminated space for the community to enjoy.

This exciting new addition to Burton’s seasonal calendar formed part of a wider illumination event taking place across the town, which also included projection mapping on key landmarks. As the council’s first foray into this style of festive light installation, the goal was to create an atmospheric, engaging, and family-friendly experience — all while working within an initial trial budget.

We were delighted to bring our expertise in outdoor lighting, creative design and technical infrastructure to help make this event a reality, and to help shape a strong foundation for potential future years of the trail.

Three Core Lighting Features

The light trail was centred around three main immersive installations:

1. Truss-Built Light Tunnel
   A key focal point of the route, this walk-through structure was built from truss and fitted with dynamic LED lighting, allowing visitors to step through a tunnel of light. Designed to be both visually striking and safe for public interaction, it provided an ideal photo opportunity and an impactful start to the trail.
2. Circular Colour-Changing Light Feature
   At one of the central garden spaces, we installed a low-level ring of colour-changing lighting, creating a glow that illuminated its surroundings. Within this area, we suspended raised mirror balls and added pin spots, which created hundreds of reflections that danced across the space — adding motion, atmosphere and a touch of winter sparkle.
3. Curved LED Arch Tunnel
   This sweeping, curved structure formed another memorable highlight along the route. Fitted with colour-changing LED fixtures, it added depth and variety to the trail’s lighting design while allowing visitors to walk through and experience the light from all angles.

Atmospheric Pathway Lighting

To tie everything together, we also installed a range of IP-rated outdoor colour-changing floodlights. These were carefully placed to up-light the trees lining the footpaths throughout the gardens, creating a wash of rich tones and gentle movement as guests explored the route. This subtle but important element gave cohesion to the trail and added warmth and ambience to the overall visitor experience.

Collaboration and Creativity

As with any first-time event, planning and execution required close collaboration. Our team worked closely with East Staffordshire Borough Council to maximise the available budget, offering creative solutions and adapting designs to suit the space, audience, and logistical considerations of a town centre park setting.

The result was a beautifully lit, family-friendly trail that helped bring people into the town centre over the winter period, encouraging exploration and community engagement.

Looking Ahead

We are incredibly proud to have helped deliver this first Winter Light Trail in Burton and look forward to developing the concept further in the future. Light trails are a fantastic way to activate outdoor spaces in the colder months, bringing people together, enhancing visitor footfall and supporting the local economy.

If you’re a council, venue, or private organisation looking to create your own light trail or festive event, we’d love to work with you to design something memorable, creative and achievable within your budget.