‘The rarified, faraway space where colour meets imagination’
Belgium - The rides in Circus Bumba never leave the ground, at least not literally. But when seen through the eyes of a child, they soar high, up to the rarified, faraway space where colour meets imagination.
Based on the popular Flemish television show of the same name, the recently opened 3,000m2 themed attraction captivates guests with its bright, cheerful panoramas complete with whimsical characters and fairytale-like scenery.
Enhancing the magical effect of this transformative venue is a collection of over 300 Chauvet Professional fixtures. These units are positioned throughout the main ride, Op Reis met Bumba (Dark Ride), as well as other rides and the park’s theatre.
Drawing on the colour-rendering capabilities of these fixtures, Pieter Dewaegeneere, technical investment manager, and rest of the Circus Bumba team have created a wide array of enchanting looks, from bold primaries and soft pastels to mysterious deeply saturated shadows, throughout the space.
Describing the design process, Dewaegeneere said: “Because of the constant changes in the design phase of the venue, we decided to do the lighting design ourselves. The installation itself and delivery of products was done by Decat. Everything is being controlled via ArtNet, with cables in the roof, but never more than 10 units in a row, so we can easily turn off a group of fixtures.”
Looking to create a dreamy aura throughout Circus Bumba, the design team positioned 43 COLORdash Par H7 IP RGBWA-UV wash lights on the road leading through the venue. Carrying the colour thread further, the team located 32 COLORdash H12 IP units in the main hall.
Lighting leaves its mark everywhere throughout the indoor park, tickling young imaginations with its colours and effects. For example, characters from the Circus Bumba TV show are a critical part of the experience of young visitors. The design team enhances these figures with extra vividness and energy by lighting them with 26 COLORado 1 Zoom fixtures.
The mysterious impact of the signature dark ride becomes even more intriguing thanks to 65 Ovation CYC 1 FC RGBAL cyc lights that wash the back wall in dark, deeply saturated colours. A collection of 60 Ovation F415 FC Fresnel units add an extra evocative dimension to the ride by focusing on the all-important 50 animatronics, all created by the Belgian studio Fisheye.
Further enriching the experience on the ride are 50 Ovation P56 FC fixtures, which are deployed add backlights and 56 Ovation P56 UV fixtures used to direct light off the ride’s fluorescent painted scenic elements. DMX distribution at the ride is handled by a NetX II node.
At the theatre, which is a fixed setup, the team relies on six Ovation E-260WW and 16 Ovation E-910FC fixtures for front and key lighting, while six COLORdash Par Quad 12 units serve as house lights.

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