Thousands of visitors flocked to Mansfield’s first Light Night event at Carr Bank Park.

The free four-night Mansfield District Council event attracted more than 15,000 people, including visitors from as far as Liverpool and Boston in Lincolnshire.

As well as displays lighting up the award-winning park, the opening night offered a silent disco with attendees able to listen to four hours of music from four channels through headphones while dancing to a light display.

Glowing walkabout entertainers, some on stilts and wearing illuminated costumes, including LED wings, also danced and mingled among the crowds.

An illuminated inflatable sculpture, The Green Man, by internationally-renowned artist Jason Wilsher-Mills, was the centrepiece of the first two days of the event.

Jason, a disabled digital artist, has exhibited widely, both internationally and throughout the UK, including presenting work at V&A Late. An exhibition of his work is on display at Mansfield Museum, until 9th March.

Mayor Andy Abrahams said: “It was a dazzling success and fantastic to see so many people from near and far and experiencing Mansfield in, literally, a whole new light.

“There was something for everyone to enjoy and it was great to see people of all ages with smiles and looks of wonder. The numbers attending far exceeded our expectations and the feedback has been really positive.”

Initial figures show that about 15% of visitors came from beyond Mansfield, which is up on the 11% average for council events.

Light Night was the first of a series of attractions as part of the Destination Mansfield project, which will see more than £450,000 invested in events in the next two years.

The council said the aim was to help put Mansfield on the visitor map. Money for the events has come from the Towns Fund, Arts Council England, Mansfield BID, and other private sector contributors.

The next Destination Mansfield event will be the Architects of Air at Easter. The giant inflatable luminarium artwork will be installed at Chesterfield Road Park from Thursday 4th to Saturday, 13th April.

For more details about forthcoming events go to www.mansfield.gov.uk/events