Everything That You Need to Know about Festoon Lights

By Ross | 1 Entertainment on Jul 19 2022

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festoon lights


Have you ever wanted to design or decorate a space for an event such as a wedding outdoors or indoors? Lights are key to setting the right mood. You may have seen festoon lights, which have been popular for a while. If you’ve attended at least one party in your life, you’ve probably bathed in the warm glow of festoon lights and glow sticks. For those who want to learn more about festoon lighting, read on as we break down everything that you need to know about festoon lights.

What Are Festoon Lights?

Festoon lights, also called party lights or string lights, are large light bulbs connected to a flexible electrical wire and laid out in a garland-style pattern to hang inside or outside. The word festoon comes from the Latin festum, which means feast. Originally, it described decorations such as wreaths and garlands, but its meaning has changed over time, and now it refers to the drooping curve of lights when they’re hanging loose. 

Traditional festoon lights were more fragile than the modern ones. Glass is heavy and can break easily, so these lights were difficult to hang around children. They used a lot of electricity and added to the home’s energy bill, making them an unattractive option if you wanted to save energy. The festoon lights were also fragile; they could break easily, making them a less-than-ideal long-term investment.

What Are the Benefits of Festoon Lights?

Festoon lights are extremely versatile as they suit a variety of applications. Hang them in zig-zag across the patio, wrap them around trees, use them to frame mirrors and shelves—the possibilities are endless. There are limitless design options when it comes to decorating your space with festoon lights. Festoon lights can be used for both indoor and outdoor decorating, but if you plan to hang them outside, choose a heavy-duty option with an IP44 rating. In this case, the festoon lights have the required protection from water to withstand harsh weather conditions. Festoon lights with an IP 20 or 23 rating should be used for indoor lighting.

You don’t need a lot of skill to install festoon lights, but make sure you’re up to the task before starting. If you are, then do all the work yourself. You can buy festoon lighting solutions from a wide range of sources, including prop shops and hardware stores, and once you purchase the right ones for your needs, installing them yourself is a breeze. However, if you would rather not do the work yourself, then hire a professional electrician to help with installation.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped further your understanding of festoon lights. As you can see, festoon lights are a great option for just about any occasion. Be sure to keep everything you’ve learned here in mind so that you can make the most informed decisions when planning out your next event.

Are you looking for festoon lights for hire? 1 Entertainment is the UK’s number one entertainment company, providing the best in DJs, dancefloors, marquee hires, bar hires, wedding planning, event management, etc.  If you’re looking for party planners in London, we’ve got you covered! Get in touch with us today and let us know how we can help!