Illuminite
ILLUMINITE 2026
Get ready to rediscover wonder, joy, and imagination with the return of ILLUMINITE: Downtown Yonge’s annual winter celebration of light, art, and public space. Now in its third year, ILLUMINITE 2026 invites visitors to explore the theme of “PLAY” through immersive light-based installations spread across five unique locations in the Downtown Yonge neighbourhood.
WITNESS ENDLESS LIGHTS AT PLAY
From February 13 to March 8, 2026, the city will glow with creativity and colour at 777 Bay Plaza, College Park, Granby Parkette, Sankofa Square, and Trinity Square Park. Each site will feature a playful, interactive experience designed to spark joy, movement, and connection in the heart of winter. Whether you’re a curious explorer or just passing through, ILLUMINITE 2026 invites everyone to pause, play, and light up the city together.
Illuminite Locations:
Explore five (5) stunning installations across Downtown Yonge:
OVAL SWINGS
Company: Prevail Activations
Location: 777 Bay Plaza
(777 Bay St.)
Feel the glow and let yourself sway. Oval Swings bring playful energy and luminous charm to 777 Bay Plaza. Designed for all ages, these glowing LED swings invite you to pause, connect, and capture the moment: a joyful blend of movement, light, and pure winter magic.
HORIZON
Artist: MattCreative
Location: College Park – Yonge Street Entrance (420 Yonge St.)
Step into a glowing field of motion and colour. Horizon is a large-scale 3D LED matrix that visualizes waves of light as they move through space and time. With over 3,000 LEDs and interactive controls, this immersive installation invites you to shape shifting patterns of light in real time, turning College Park into a dynamic playground of sight and sound.
HEARTS AT PLAY
Artist: Daria Domnikova
Location: Granby Parkette
(431 Yonge St.)
Granby Parkette comes alive with Hearts at Play, a vibrant trio of interactive sculptures that celebrate community, creativity, and connection in Downtown Yonge.
Bold in colour and glowing with light, these artworks encourage visitors to pause, play, reflect, and rediscover the heart of the city, and their place within it.
POP! BY GENTILHOMME
Company: Gentilhomme
Presented By: Quartier des Spectacles Partnership
Location: Sankofa Square (1 Dundas St. E.)
Something playful is bubbling beneath the surface at Sankofa Square, and it’s ready to POP! Hidden inside glowing monoliths are five quirky characters just waiting to burst out and start the party.
To set them free, you’ll need to call out, sing, or dance your way into their world. As each figure responds with movement, sound, and colour, the installation transforms into a joyful, collective celebration of music, surprise, and togetherness.
POP! by Gentilhomme, a production of Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and distributed by QDSinternational
DOMINO EFFECT BY INGRID INGRID
Artist: Ingrid Ingrid
Presented By: Quartier des Spectacles Partnership
Location: Trinity Square Park (19 Trinity Sq.)
Get ready to knock down winter blues with a musical chain reaction! DOMINO EFFECT invites visitors of all ages to play, collaborate, and co-create a symphony of sound and light using giant pastel-coloured dominos.
Each domino triggers a unique note, from vocals to percussion, and every cascade becomes a playful performance of rhythm, colour, and connection. Work together to build longer sequences, reverse the direction, and unlock new melodies in this interactive orchestra of joy.
A delightful, hands-on experience that turns Trinity Square Park into a hub of movement, laughter, and collective creativity.
Domino Effect by Ingrid Ingrid, a production of Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, distributed by QDSinternational
Community Meet up Led by justin wong
Dates:
Sat, Feb 14 | 5 – 6:30 PM
Sat, Feb 21 | 5 – 6:30 PM
Light, Colour, and Creative Connection
Step into the glow of ILLUMINITE 2026 — Downtown Yonge’s annual celebration of light, art, and public space — and experience it through a photographer’s lens.
This year’s theme, PLAY, invites the city to interact with light in new and joyful ways. Led by Toronto-based photographer and visual storyteller Justin Wong, PHOTO WALK EP01 transforms the ILLUMINITE installations into a dynamic visual playground.
Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or love snapping shots on your phone, this guided walk offers the chance to explore five glowing installations, connect with fellow creatives, and capture the spirit of ILLUMINITE in your own way.
Learn more about Justin.
ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS
The walk will take you through five ILLUMINITE installations and unique urban pockets:
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Start: Oval Swings at 777 Bay Plaza
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➡ College Park (Horizon)
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➡ Granby Parkette (Hearts at Play)
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➡ Trinity Square Park (DOMINO EFFECT by Ingrid Ingrid)
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Finish: Sankofa Square (POP! by Gentilhomme)
💡 Bonus stop through Elm Street — where tree lights add extra charm along the way.
Interactive Photo Challenge: The Colour Hunt
Each participant will be assigned a colour — Red, Blue, Green, or Yellow — and challenged to find and capture that colour in the installations and streetscapes. It’s part scavenger hunt, part creative exercise… and yes, there are prizes!
CONTEST PRIZES
We’re rewarding both participation and creativity:
Participation Prizes: On-Site Lucky Draw (2 × $50)
Simply show up, post a story or photo during the walk, and tag @DowntownYonge, #ILLUMINITE #DowntownYonge to be entered.
🎁 Prizes: Local business gift cards (provided by Downtown Yonge BIA)
🏁 Winners announced at Sankofa Square at the end of the walk.
Creative Awards (4 × $100)
Post your best photo(s) online and tag @justinwongjw, @DowntownYonge, and #ILLUMINITE #DowntownYonge
🗓 Deadline: Within days after the walk — contest closes shortly after.
🎁 Prizes: Gift cards from Aden Camera, located in College Park.
Bookmark this website or follow us on social media for updates.
This initiative is part of ILLUMINITE’s mission to transform public spaces through community connection, art, and light. By joining the walk, you’re not just capturing images — you’re helping share the story of Downtown Yonge in winter.
CULTURAL PARTNER
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
