Illuminating York organisers have hailed this year's event as a great success.

More than 27,000 visitors are believed to have attended the festival this year and walked down Parliament Street alone – compared to 24,562 footfall figures in the street last year and 21,018 in 2011.

The impressive lighting projections transformed York landmarks over three days, bringing the city’s Viking past to life with displays telling of tales, personalities and traditions, Illuminating York’s light and sound displays.

Coun Sonja Crisp, City of York Council’s tourism portfolio holder, said: “We had over 27,000 people down Parliament street alone which does not take into account all of the many routes people could take across the city to experience Illuminating York. There has been a fantastic response to the artistic works and we feel that all in all it has been a great success.”

This year’s main events took place at Clifford’s Tower – where new artwork by Ross Ashton and sound by Karen Monid, was being projected on to Clifford’s Tower and the mound on which it stands – and Museum Gardens – which told the story of Viking king Eric Bloodaxe, with narration and effects.