Why Is Festoon Lighting the Hottest Summer Garden Trend of 2022?

Why Is Festoon Lighting the Hottest Summer Garden Trend of 2022?

Why Is Festoon Lighting the Hottest Summer Garden Trend of 2022?

Summer means lounging in your garden and soaking up the sun with your family and friends. So, as summer approaches, you need to find ways to make the most of your outside space.

However, you need to think about more than just garden furniture and outdoor party decorations. For example, without outdoor lighting, you won’t be able to host garden gatherings after the sun sets and enjoy the balmy summer evenings.

Festoon garden lights are the perfect lighting option for summer 2022. These lights are trendy, versatile, durable and long-lasting, and they come in a wide variety of colours, shapes and styles. Keep on reading to discover why festoon lights are the hottest summer garden trend of 2022 and where to buy the best festoon lights.

What Are Festoon Lights?

Even if the name isn’t familiar, it’s almost certain that you’ve seen festoon lights before. If you’ve been to funfairs, trendy cafés or pub gardens, then you’ll have seen these twinkling lights adorning a pergola or draped between wooden poles or trees.

Festoon lights, which are also called string lights, party lights or café lights, are large light bulbs spaced along a cable. This cable can be hung around your garden in a garland style, creating a fun and festive atmosphere. 

Overall, festoon garden lights are very similar to the ever-popular fairy lights, albeit much larger and more old-fashioned. They’re most commonly used in gardens, although you can definitely use them inside your home too if you’d like.

The History of Festoon Garden Lights

Outdoor festoon lights first became popular in the USA; you may have seen festoon lighting before in old Hollywood movies. Since then, festoon lights have gained popularity around the world, becoming a common feature in many private and commercial outdoor spaces.

In the past, festoon light bulbs were very different. Each bulb was made of glass, which meant that these lights were prone to both shattering and overheating. As a result, festoon garden lights weren’t always safe to use, especially around children.

Nowadays, the best outdoor festoon lights are LEDs. LED festoon party lights have many benefits, including energy efficiency, durability and safety. In fact, one LED bulb is so energy-efficient that it can last up to 50,000 hours, benefitting both your wallet and the environment!

Why Are Outdoor Festoon Lights So Popular?

Festoon lights have been around for a long time, so why are they such a huge trend in 2022? Let’s explore this further:

Lighting Trends

One explanation for their popularity is that festoon lights continue a lighting trend that’s been popular for the past few years. 

Rather than selecting lighting that blends in with a garden’s natural features, it’s now trendy to choose lighting that can also serve a decorative purpose or can even become a display or centrepiece. As a result, we’ve also witnessed the popularity of metal Moroccan-style lanterns, vintage glass lanterns and stylish floor lamps.

With its distinctive appearance and retro charm, festoon lighting is furthering this trend in 2022. In addition, this popularity can also be explained by the growing preference for LED garden lighting. LED lights are vastly superior to traditional options due to their:

  • Energy efficiency
  • Long lifespan
  • Durability (they are often shatterproof and can be waterproof)
  • Very low heat generation (enhancing safety)
  • Many bulb colour options

LED festoon party lights are now widely available, so you can easily buy the perfect LED festoon lights for your garden.

Perfect for Any Occasion

Another key reason for the current popularity of festoon garden lights is that they’re suitable for any occasion. Not convinced? Here are just a few of the many ways they can be used:

  • Party lighting. LED festoon party lights should decorate all of your outdoor gatherings. These garlands of twinkling bulbs will add a playful and celebratory atmosphere to any garden party, whether you’re marking a special occasion or just hanging out with friends and family on a hot summer day. These LED bulbs can also come in a wide variety of colours, making them perfect for children’s birthday party lighting or festive lights.
  • Wedding lighting. Festoon lights are synonymous with celebrations, so in addition to garden parties, you can use them to decorate outdoor wedding receptions. Simply drape these lights around trees or a pergola to add a soft glow as the sun sets. With warm white LED bulbs, you can avoid a harsh glare and instead create a romantic ambience in any outdoor space.
  • Alfresco dining. Warm white festoon lights are also perfect for smaller, more intimate gatherings outdoors. In particular, if you have a patio or outdoor dining area, you can use festoon garden lights to illuminate this space for al fresco dining in the evening. Invite your friends for a dinner party or simply enjoy this experience with your partner; festoon lights will create a warm and magical atmosphere for both situations.

LED festoon lights are unrivalled in terms of versatility. As demonstrated above, you can absolutely use them for any special occasion, but remember that they’re perfect for illuminating your garden all year round too. 

All-Year Use

Hanging festoon lights around your garden is an easy way to illuminate this outdoor space all year round. Not only will your festoon garden lights brighten up this space, but they’ll also act as a decorative feature that livens up the exterior of your home.

However, illumination and decoration aren’t the only benefits you can expect from festoon lights. By lighting up steps, pathways and potential hazards like garden ponds, these lights can be an important outdoor safety feature, keeping you and your guests safe at night. 

Of course, if you’re using your LED festoon lights as a safety feature, you’ll need them to stay in your garden throughout the year, no matter the weather. With weatherproof festoon lighting, you won’t have to worry about taking your lights down when it starts to rain, which is a huge relief considering typical British weather! Just make sure your outdoor lights have at least an IP44 rating - this means the lights are protected against light rainfall. Go for a higher IP rating if you expect heavier rain, or ensure your festoon garden lights are partially covered (e.g., under a pergola).

Easy to Install

LED festoon party lights are also incredibly easy to install, which makes them extremely popular as a low-maintenance indoor and outdoor lighting solution. 

For outdoor installation, you just need some fixing points, hooks and cable ties. The easiest way to install your connectable festoon lights is by using a garden structure (such as a pergola or gazebo) or trees as your fixing points, as you’ll only need to drape the cables around them.

To attach your festoon lighting to a fence or wooden pole, you need to drill a hole in the wood to install a hook and then attach the cable to the hook using cable ties. Think about the placement of your fixing points and perhaps try to create a pattern, such as zig-zags or pinwheels. To install festoon garden lights along a path or walkway, you can purchase shepherd’s hooks and hang your lights from them to create a stunning lighting feature. 

Once your lights are attached to fixing points, all you need to do is plug them into a power source unless you’re using solar-powered lights. It’s better to use a plug socket outdoors on the exterior of your home rather than one indoors, since pulling the wire into your home could mean that it gets trapped in a door or window and becomes damaged (and therefore dangerous).

Where to Buy the Best Outdoor Festoon Lights

Festoon lighting is undeniably the hottest garden lighting trend this summer. Thanks to their versatility, style, durability, energy efficiency, long lifespan and easy installation, LED festoon party lights are the perfect addition to any occasion and any outdoor space.

At UltraLEDs, you can shop for the best outdoor festoon lights at amazing prices. These LED lights are of the highest quality and come in a wide range of colours, including warm white, cool white, red, yellow, blue and green. To make the installation process even easier, you can also purchase your lights and accessories together in handy LED festoon kits.

You don’t want to miss out on this summer’s hottest garden lighting trend. Check out the UltraLEDs website to discover the best festoon lights on the market.