The ACT’s annual Enlighten Festival is coming back for 2021, but thanks to COVID-19 it will be operating with a difference.

Enlighten will run this year for 17 days across the ACT, from 26 February to 14 March, with registration required to attend several of the events.

Registrations opened this morning for a number of the Festival’s free events, including the Canberra Balloon Spectacular, Lights! Canberra! Action!, Symphony in the Park and the Canberra Day celebrations.

The popular Enlighten Illuminations won’t require registration, but attendees are encouraged to check-in via the Check In CBR app.

The National Portrait Gallery, the National Library, the National Gallery, Parliament House, Old Parliament House and Questacon will all be illuminated as part of the festival’s 11th year, and a number of Canberra’s major attractions will also open their doors for ticketed, ‘after-dark’ events. Tickets will be on sale later this month for these sessions.

The popular Night Noodle Markets, which typically run alongside the Enlighten Festival, were cancelled late during the festival last year by Nine Food Events, however, Canberrans will be able to enjoy local street food at Enlighten Alley and the Bentspoke Beer Garden, both of which are free to enter but require registration to attend.

Visit enlightencanberra.com for the full program and to secure your attendance via Ticketek.

COVID-19 continues to affect how events are held in the Capital, with a number of popular, annual events postponed or cancelled for 2021, including the Multicultural Festival and Skyfire.

ACT Health said late last year there would be changes to how major events were held due to COVID-19, with free, non-ticketed events with unrestricted movement of people unlikely to proceed for “some time”.