A “unique” festive lights display has officially opened and is now welcoming guests from around the country to Wiltshire.

Huge crowds will flock to Longleat House between now and January 5, 2025, while the Longleat Festival of Lights dazzles the estate.

This year’s two-month display kicked off on Saturday, November 9, after being officially opened with an exclusive preview.

The opening event was only available for the attraction’s members and saw 1,000 lanterns lit up to create breathtaking scenes across the estate.

This was marked by a countdown led by Ceawlin and Emma Thynn, Marquess and Marchioness of Bath.

The 2024 edition of the annual festival has created a “historical wonderland” that will allow guests to walk “through time.”

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The festival is openedThe festival is opened (Image: Tom Anders/Longleat) Lord Bath said: “This year is a celebration of our 10th anniversary of this incredible event which takes our guests on a journey through time as they wander through 16 different eras of the earth’s evolution for this festive showcase.

“When we first held The Festival of Light in 2014, nothing like it had been attempted on this scale before in the UK or indeed Europe.”

The lantern trail will boast scenes that include kings and queens, a giant 12-metre clock, the pyramids, and more as visitors make their way from the age of the dinosaurs to the present day.

But the estate is also celebrating another major milestone as it reaches 75 years as a major tourist attraction and safari park.

This will be reflected in a “stunning” display that will be mapped onto the historic house throughout the event.

Lord Bath added: “We are also celebrating other firsts at Longleat with this event as we mark the 75th anniversary of the House opening too. 

“Longleat House was one of the first to open its doors thanks to the vision of my grandfather, the 6th Marquess.

“A new light show brings to life the façade of the house with a stunning projection mapping display which will take visitors through the history including 4D animals which appear to run towards you as we mark the opening of the first Safari Park outside Africa in 1966.”

On top of this, there will also be a singing Christmas tree standing at more than 15 metres tall and illuminated with over 88,000 lights.

Tickets remain on sale and start from £20.95.