Spectacular 25M Water Screen Projection at Light Up Lancaster Festival
In November 2025, the historic city of Lancaster came alive with illuminating art, light trails, and interactive installations for the annual Light Up Lancaster festival. As one of the attractions of the weekend, EMF Technology was commissioned to supply, install, and operate a monumental 25-metre-wide water screen projection installation, creating a floating visual centerpiece that captivated thousands of nighttime visitors.
By pairing precision hydro-engineering with an ultra-bright 31,000-lumen laser video projector, EMF transformed high-pressure water droplets into a semi-translucent cinematic screen against the night sky.
The Event: Light Up Lancaster 2025
Organized in partnership by Lancaster City Council, Lancaster BID, and supported by Arts Council England, Light Up Lancaster is a premier fixture in the Light Up The North festival network.
The multi-artform festival brings international and UK artists together to celebrate the city’s heritage, public spaces, and community landscapes. For the November 2025 edition, festival curators sought a high-impact, ethereal visual experience capable of displaying narrative video content over open water while captivating family audiences along the illuminated trail.
The Technical Delivery: Hydro-Engineering & Ultra-Bright Video
Projecting crisp, high-definition video onto moving water presents complex environmental and optical challenges. Unlike solid building facades, a water screen (often referred to as a hydro screen or water fan) requires exact pump pressures, wide projection angles, and powerful illumination to achieve maximum contrast and clarity.
1. 25-Metre Hydro Water Screen
EMF Technology engineered and rigged a bespoke 25-metre-wide submersible water screen system. Using industrial high-volume pumps and precision brass nozzles, the system produces a dense, semi-circular fan of fine water spray. When illuminated, the water screen offers an almost holographic effect—letting viewers see dynamic animations and video footage floating freely in mid-air.
2. 31K Lumen Laser Video Projection
To overpower ambient festival lighting and project across open distances, EMF deployed a flagship 31,000-lumen 3-chip DLP laser projector:
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High-Contrast Imagery: Delivering rich, saturated color balance and dark-point contrast against the fine water mist.
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Specialist Rear-Projection Geometry: Configured for rear-projection through the water fan, maximizing light scatter toward the viewing audience for a vibrant, shimmering visual effect.
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Dedicated Media Server Playback: Controlled through high-performance media servers to guarantee synchronized playback with the festival’s spatial audio soundtrack.
Results & Audience Reception
Positioned along Lancaster’s popular illuminated route, the 25M water screen display proved to be a showstopper. Visitors and families were treated to vibrant, cinematic visuals that seemed to rise directly out of the water before dispersing harmlessly back into the environment.
The installation received glowing feedback from event organizers and attendees alike, showcasing how water screen technology can anchor outdoor light trails and arts festivals with unforgettable visual spectacle.