THE LUMIERE light festival will enter its third and potentially busiest night tonight (Saturday, November 14) – but the weather could be the worst yet.

Organisers Durham County Council and Artichoke are very happy with how the fourth instalment of the UK’s largest festival has begun, with an estimated 30,000 people flocking into Durham City on the first night alone.

The heavy rain and strong winds of Storm Abigail have caused some problems and the alarm was raised after a pensioner went missing on Thursday night, but he was found safe and well and the worst of the weather forecast has not yet materialised.

However, heavy rain is expected to hit Durham early on Saturday afternoon and continue through the evening, night and into Sunday morning.

Dry conditions are expected from Sunday lunchtime onwards, for the final night of the festival.

Mysticete, or “The Whale”, has become the major talking point, with crowds wowed by the ghostly projection of a whale playing in the River Wear near Elvet Bridge.

Mary Bean, who travelled from Peterborough for the event, said: “I was here four years ago and wouldn’t miss it for the world. The colours are quite stunning. It’s spectacular.”

Other installations that have proved popular include Change Your Stripes, a projection that changes as people move, jump or dance across it; Cloud, thousands of lightbulbs in the shape of a cloud that visitors can switch on and off individually; and Asalto, which appears to show people climbing the arches of Durham’s railway viaduct.

Anne Corbett, 67, said: “It’s wonderful. Every time you come it’s something totally different. You just want to see more and more each time you come.”

A festival exploring light, titled Light, Art, The Universe and Everything, was held at the Gala Theatre yesterday (Friday) with speakers including Arts Council England chair Sir Peter Bazalgette and broadcaster Rosie Boycott.

Lumiere runs each night from 4.30pm to 11pm. Tickets, required to access the central zone before 7.30pm, have all gone.

However, tickets are not required after 7.30pm and there are lots of installations outside the ticketed area.

For more information, visit lumiere-festival.com

The Caritas Ensemble will give a pre-Lumiere concert at St Margaret’s Church on Crossgate on Sunday at 6.45pm. Tickets are £10, with proceeds going to the St Margaret’s Centre for people with mental health problems.