Royal Pavilion, Brighton, England

© Michaelasbest/Shutterstoc

When time burns bright. Burning the Clocks

As the year winds down and the longest night of winter settles over Brighton in England, the city doesn't hibernate—it ignites. Burning the Clocks, a winter solstice festival, is Brighton's luminous way of letting go of the past year, lighting up the darkest hours with paper lanterns, a blazing bonfire and an explosion of creativity. This tradition was born in 1994 as a response to the commercialised chaos of the holiday season. This annual fest invites locals and visitors alike to create intricate paper lanterns symbolising their hopes, dreams and reflections from the year gone by. These lanterns are paraded through the streets in a procession that winds its way to Brighton Beach, accompanied by music. At the end of the parade, the lanterns are ceremoniously burned on a massive bonfire.

The fire symbolises renewal, cleansing and the promise of longer days to come—a nod to the significance of the solstice. Whether you're wandering the lavish halls of the Royal Pavilion—featured in today's image—or joining the lantern-lit procession to the beach, Brighton offers experiences that linger long after the moment has passed.