'Driving home for Christmas' at the corner of Park Row and Woodland Road.

As part of this year's Christmas Adventures light trail, we have 'Driving home for Christmas' from the song of the same name by Chris Rea. The lyrics can be seen projected at the corner of Park Row and Woodland Road.

Scroll down for some fun facts about the song and for our special #MerryBristmas fact to get you in a festive mood!

Location

This spot, on the corner where Park Row and Woodland Road meet, is surrounded by great culture and tasty eateries. 

From 4 December, why not check out Grayson’s Art Club exhibition at the nearby Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. The exhibition will feature Art works chosen by Grayson Perry and guest celebrities during season two of the hit TV series, Grayson’s Art Club. These works will feature exclusively alongside pieces by Grayson and Philippa Perry and the guest celebrities and artists.

There are also permanent collections and exhibitions to visit at Royal West of England Academy on Queens Road, just a short walk from the 'Driving home for Christmas' artwork.

Grab a bite to eat, a cup of coffee or a warming drink in one of the many of the places to eat and drink on Park Street and Queens Road in and around this illumination. 

Song Fact

This Christmas classic was written eight years before its first recording. Inspiration came when, in 1978, Rea needed to get home to Middlesbrough from Abbey Road Studios in London. His wife had come down to drive him home in her Austin Mini to save money, as Rea was recently out of contract and the record company wasn't willing to pay for the rail ticket. Snow started falling as the couple got stuck in heavy traffic. He started looking at the other drivers, who “all looked so miserable. Then, whenever the streetlights shone inside the car, I started writing down lyrics". Chris Rea actually wrote the song for Van Morrison but ended up recording it himself.

We've used Spotify to put together a Christmas Adventures playlist for you, the perfect accompaniment to the trail. Each song contains lyrics found illuminated in the city centre, in the order that they were switched on. You might discover a version you haven't heard before or reminisce listening to some old favourites.

#MerryBristmas Fact

Opposite the 'Driving home for Christmas' illumination on the other side of Woodland Road is a statue of a small dog. This is of Nipper, the Bristol born Jack Russell Terrier who lived there from 1884-1887. He became the subject of a painting by Frances Barraud which went on to used as the logo for the HMV record label.

This statue of a small dog on a building on Park Row (opposite the garage) is of Nipper, the Bristol born Jack Russell Terrier who lived there from 1884-1887. He became the subject of a painting by Frances Barraud which went on to used as the logo for the HMV record label. pic.twitter.com/7yMXc18aTF

— Weird Bristol (@WeirdBristol) August 9, 2018

The street art below the projection is called 'Uncertain World', a piece comissioned by the University of Bristol’s Cabot Institute and painted by Lucas Antics, aka Alex Lucas. Alex is a Bristol based illustrator, street artist & muralist known for her quirky and humourous designs which you can see around Bristol and the rest of the South West. 

The idea for the piece came in 2014, a time when Bristol was preparing to be the European Green Capital in 2015. Many great projects were envisioned, including this collaboration. Cabot Institute Director, Richard D. Pancost was asked “What will be the nature of our future world, under climate change?” to which he answered ‘An Uncertain World.’ To visualise this, the team thought it would be fascinating to juxtapose Bristol today with it’s ancient Mesozoic past. Using her signature style, this was Alex's first experience of depicting prehistoric creatures, based on their fossils in Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. The perfect wall was found for the canvas and even better, it happened to be on a neglected corner of the University of Bristol's City Campus. 

Lucas Antics was part of Visit Bristol's Christmas Campaign for 2019. Her piece was ‘Amazing Attractions’ which focused on Bristol’s iconic landmarks and visitor attractions. 

• Shop Lucas Antics this Christmas    
• Bristol street art 
• You can also browse street art-inspired gifts in our online shop.

Other Christmas Adventures illuminations nearby:

• Fa La La La La, La La La La on St Georges
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing on Bristol Beacon
• Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night on Premier Inn on Lewins Mead

Please make sure that you adhere to government covid-safety guidance when visiting the Christmas Adventures illuminations. 

- Find out more about all the Christmas Adventures illuminations throughout Bristol city centre

- Find out what else is going on this Christmas in Bristol

- Listen to the Spotify playlist

The project is part of Bristol City Centre BID’s #LoveBristol campaign which promotes the recovery of the city, bringing together 100s of businesses to help create the festive trail. New to this year is the partnership with Redcliffe and Temple BID, adding many new and iconic locations to the attraction.

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