Community-Driven Light and Craft Festival

A memorable illumination event is more than just a display of lights—it’s a cultural experience. By incorporating local materials and crafts, illumination becomes an emotional and participatory performance that stays with visitors long after the lights go out. LUXEATER, a winter light event hosted by the City of Fukuyama, embodied this vision. Over the course of three years, INCROCCE led planning, design, and display execution, bringing together light, local industry, and community creativity in a format that sparked wide public engagement and appreciation.

Property Overview

Name｜ LUXEATER Fukuyama (Fukuyama Illumination Event)
Location｜ Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Client｜ Fukuyama Tourism Division
Design & Execution｜ INCROCCE Co., Ltd.
Display｜ INCROCCE Co., Ltd.
Scope｜ Illumination concept planning, display production, and event operations
Installation Area｜ Station plaza, main street, central park, museum forecourt
Duration｜ Winter seasons of 2017–2019

Project Concept & Objectives

LUXEATER redefined public illuminations as collaborative entertainment spaces—not just something to look at, but something to participate in. The name itself combined lux (light) and theater to suggest an entire city turned into a stage. The concept emphasized co-creation, encouraging locals to become part of the story through material donation, design, and hands-on contributions.

Challenges in Spatial Design

The main challenge was designing an illumination experience that would grow year after year, while continuing to highlight regional industries and resources. The long route from the train station to the museum required spatial unification through thematic zoning. Safety, scalability, and a format that would motivate collaboration from citizens and local businesses were all key to long-term success.

INCROCCE’s Design Approach

Each year, the event expanded with new themes and partnerships:

2017 – Illumination Circus & Christmas Market
• Station Plaza: Circus tent-inspired light installations and food stalls
• Central Park: Christmas trees made of denim and scrap wood
• Workshops in collaboration with local craftsmen

2018 – Area Expansion & Container Illumination
• Station Plaza: Container displays with support from playground equipment maker TAKAO
• Museum Forecourt: Balloon illumination art by local painters
• Central Park: 2-day Christmas market with interactive light installations

2019 – Upcycled Art & Citizen Workshops
• Museum Forecourt: Public art created from beads, fabric remnants, and wood
• Theme: “Shaping the Future from Waste”
• Intergenerational workshops with students and welfare organizations

Construction & Execution Details

Materials Used: Fukuyama denim, wood scraps, balloons, containers, lights, beads—mostly recycled
Installation Highlights:
• Circus-style illuminated tent (2017)
• 6-meter Christmas tree from reclaimed wood (2018)
• Balloon-painting light installation (2019)
Collaborators: Local artisans, manufacturers, student groups, welfare organizations

Kids Area:Craft stations where children made wood trees, painted balloons, and participated in upcycling workshops—helping draw more families into the experience

Outcome & Feedback

The event saw year-on-year growth in participation and attendance, evolving into a seasonal staple for the city. It became a model for other municipalities and commercial spaces looking to develop similar community-based illumination events. Local organizations praised the format for increasing youth and family engagement, and for fostering a new model of “illumination as place-making”—turning light into a catalyst for regional connection and collaboration.