Old Bridge Enhancement Lighting Programme 2026
The Trust illuminates the Old Bridge using enhancement lighting at various times throughout the year, to mark important events, themes and projects in line with the Trust’s values.
To reduce energy usage and light pollution, the enhancement lighting is switched off at midnight unless there is a special reason to keep it on later into the night.
This is a list of lighting events taking place in 2026.
- Saturday 24 January: UN International Day of Education
- Monday 9 February: Start of National Apprenticeship Week
- Wednesday 4 March: UNESCO World Engineering Day
- Friday 6 March: Start of British Science Week
- Tuesday 14 April: St Benezet’s Day
- Wednesday 15 April: Anniversary of the opening of the New Bridge (1970)
- Tuesday 28 April: World Day for Health and Safety at Work
- Friday 1 May: Start of Local & Community History Month
- Thursday 14 May: Anniversary of the opening of the Old Bridge (1914)
- Friday 5 June: UN World Environment Day (essential lights only)
- Tuesday 9 June: International Archives Day
- Monday 3 August: Start of Trust Diversity in Engineering Week
- Thursday 13 August: The opening of the Victorian Rochester Bridge predecessor of the current Old Bridge (1856)
- Saturday 5 September: UN International Day of Charity
- Wednesday 9 September: Emergency Services Day
- Saturday 12 September and Saturday 19 September: Heritage Open Days
- Friday 25 September: Start of UK Recycling Week
- Saturday 10 October: UN World Mental Health Day
- Monday 2 November: All Souls’ Day – celebrating the founders of what would become Rochester Bridge Trust
- Tuesday 3 November: Purple Tuesday
- Sunday 8 November: Remembrance Sunday
- Wednesday 11 November: Armistice Day
- Saturday 14 November: End of Tomorrow’s Engineers Week
- Tuesday 1 December-Wednesday 30 December: Festive lighting programs
- Thursday 31 December: New Year’s Eve