The 25 million LED bulbs on the illumi site will go out for good on January 7, as Normand Latourelle’s team has not been able to reach an agreement with the City of Laval to extend its operations on the immense site that it has occupied the edge of the A-15 since 2019. Over the coming years, this will host the Carré Laval project, a mixed innovation district.
Thus, the 5e edition in Laval will be the last, all the “negotiation attempts” having not borne fruit with the administration of Mayor Stéphane Boyer.
Photo provided by Cavalia
“My goal in life is to bring a little light and happiness into people’s lives. I see that we have succeeded once again with illumi, and it warms our hearts. We are in Laval until January 7 to show off, for one last time,” said the founder of Cavalia and creator of illumi, Normand Latourelle, in a press release.
According to the City of Laval, the five-year agreement signed with Mr. Latourelle’s company ended in May 2024 and it was not possible to identify other sites in Laval to relocate illumi.
It is a structuring project called Carré Laval which will be installed partly on the site occupied by illumi, at least phase 1. Starting next fall, the City will begin geotechnical studies financed by Quebec to carry out the preparatory work. Carré Laval will include residential and institutional development, as well as a large urban park.
Photo provided by illumi
“For us, it’s a beautiful chapter that is ending. It’s been five great years. And there is a whole new chapter beginning for the development of Carré Laval, a structuring project which will change the entire sector and generate economic and social benefits,” said the head of public affairs for the City of Laval. , Philippe Déry, at the QMI Agency.
Under the hot Californian sun
Illumi’s proposal, which its team calls “the largest multimedia sound and light event in the world” with its 19 paintings, has also traveled to Toronto in the past. She will now head to Los Angeles, California, to “put down roots”, it is claimed.
In five years, more than two million people have passed through the turnstiles of the Laval site, which has been modified many times according to the different holidays of the year, such as Christmas or Halloween.
According to Cavalia – which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year – and illumi, the economic benefits amount to nearly $100 million since 2019.
Tickets are available online.