The Late Shows to stop using single-use plastic glow sticks

The iconic glow sticks given out to thousands of Late Shows revellers at the annual Museums at Night festival in Newcastle and Gateshead will not feature in the 2019 event.

This year, neon coloured metal button badges will be available as souvenirs for participants to pick up at all 60 venues.

The annual late night culture crawl, which regularly attracts 35,000 visitors over the course of the weekend is brought to the region by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM), and supported in 2019 by headline sponsor The Biscuit Factory.

Bill Griffiths, The Late Shows lead and Head of Programmes at TWAM said:

“Although glow sticks have been a part of the Late Shows since the first event, enabling people to connect visually in the evening light, we have decided for ethical reasons that we won’t be producing them again.

“Awareness of environmental issues and particularly single use plastic has vastly increased since we first adopted the glow sticks thirteen years ago and the Late Shows steering group felt very strongly that we could not justify generating so much single use plastic for this event. I’m sure people will understand and support our decision. We are sure the badges will be a much sought after souvenir for people wishing to remember visiting the Late Shows in 2019!”