De Grote Schijn will not return to Rotterdam's Kralingse Bos in 2026, bringing an end, at least temporarily, to one of the city's most distinctive autumn attractions. Rising production costs have made another Rotterdam edition financially unviable, although the illuminated forest experience will continue in Belgium this autumn.
Anyone hoping to wander through an illuminated Kralingse Bos this autumn will be disappointed. After six editions, De Grote Schijn is taking a break from Rotterdam, with no new show planned for 2026. The organisation has confirmed the absence of a Rotterdam edition on its official website, directing visitors to a new production at Rivierenhof in Antwerp instead.
Since its debut in 2019, De Grote Schijn has become a familiar part of Rotterdam's autumn calendar. Each edition transformed the forest after sunset with light installations, music, projections and audiovisual effects, inviting visitors to discover a different side of the Kralingse Bos.
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Why is De Grote Schijn not returning to Rotterdam?
According to Rotterdam Centrum, the organisers have decided that mounting another Rotterdam edition is no longer financially feasible. The costs involved in building and producing the show have risen considerably, making it difficult to continue the event in its existing form.
The announcement means there will be no illuminated walking route, special evening performances or ticketed forest experience in the Kralingse Bos in autumn 2026.
However, the organisation has not ruled out returning in the future. Its official website states that no new Rotterdam edition is currently planned, without announcing a permanent end to the event. Whether the show will eventually return to the city remains uncertain.
What made De Grote Schijn special?
De Grote Schijn, which loosely translates as The Great Shine, offered something quite different from a conventional light festival. Instead of concentrating installations in a city square or along a waterfront, the organisers used the forest itself as the setting for an audiovisual experience.
Visitors followed an approximately two-kilometre walking route after dark. Trees appeared to come alive, colours moved across the foliage, and carefully designed sounds and lighting effects changed the atmosphere from one section of the forest to the next. The experience also incorporated scent and acoustic effects, making it more than a collection of illuminated objects.
Each edition introduced new installations and creative techniques. The natural surroundings remained central to the concept, with the organisers using technology to draw attention to the trees, water and landscape.
In an earlier edition, creative director Christophe Van Hostauijen described the intention behind the experience: "Our aim is to allow visitors to escape from realism, fostering a sense of unity and connectivity. Just as the trees in the Kralingse Bos are intertwined by their roots, we want to reflect that grandeur and connection."
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Illuminated forest installations during an earlier edition of De Grote Schijn in Rotterdam
De Grote Schijn transformed the Kralingse Bos into an illuminated landscape after sunset. Photograph: Andreas Terlaak.
The final Rotterdam edition in 2025
The sixth edition took place from 16 October to 2 November 2025 and introduced a completely redesigned route with new scenes and technological effects.
Among the additions was an underwater-inspired installation created using projections, mirrors and approximately 800 light cords. Together, they produced the illusion of hundreds of colourful jellyfish floating above visitors as they walked through the forest.
The 2025 programme also introduced special fluisterwandelingen, or quiet walks, during which visitors were encouraged to experience the forest in silence. These late-evening sessions offered a different way to appreciate the audiovisual installations.
Another initiative, Samen Schijnen (Shining Together), encouraged people who might otherwise visit alone to experience the route in small groups. A host welcomed participants, who could meet other visitors and spend time talking around the fire after the walk.
These additions illustrated how the event had developed beyond a traditional evening light show, combining artistic experimentation with opportunities for visitors to experience the forest together.
De Grote Schijn continues in Belgium in 2026
Although Rotterdam will miss out this year, De Grote Schijn is continuing across the border. A new edition takes place at Rivierenhof in Deurne, Antwerp, from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 22 November 2026.
The Belgian production follows the same general concept, with an illuminated walking route through the park, sound installations and audiovisual effects. The organisers promise a completely new route and new scenes for the 2026 edition.
Standard tickets cost €19.99, including service charges. Reduced tickets are available for €16.99 for children aged 12 and under, visitors aged 65 and over, and people with disabilities. Children aged three and under enter free, although they still require a ticket.
Visitors select an arrival time when booking. The event is closed on Monday 16 November, and special dog-friendly evenings are scheduled on selected dates.
The venue is Provinciaal Groendomein Rivierenhof, Turnhoutsebaan 246, 2100 Deurne, Antwerp. See the official Belgian programme and book tickets.
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Will De Grote Schijn return to Rotterdam?
For now, that remains an open question. The organisers have not announced plans for another edition at Kralingse Bos, but neither have they ruled out a future return.
Rotterdam's final edition in 2025 marked six productions in a setting that had become closely associated with the event. With its combination of nature, technology and nighttime exploration, De Grote Schijn offered a way to experience one of the city's best-known green spaces.
Whether the illuminated forest will return depends on decisions that have yet to be announced. Until then, the organisation's official Dutch website remains the best place to check for news about a possible Rotterdam comeback.
Colourful light installations in Kralingse Bos during De Grote Schijn in Rotterdam
A scene from an earlier Rotterdam edition of De Grote Schijn. Photograph: Andreas Terlaak.
