This Christmas a network of local businesses plans to overturn the familiar definition of the term 'stone-faced', with festive expressions and jolly faces instead illuminating the walls of Norwich Castle.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Castle will be illuminated this Christmas with projections of people's faces. Executives I've director of Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) Stefan Gurney.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2018Norwich Castle will be illuminated this Christmas with projections of people's faces. Executives I've director of Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) Stefan Gurney.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2018 (Image: ARCHANT EASTERN DAILY PRESS (01603) 772434)

Stefan Gurney, executive director of the city's Business Improvement District (BID), the group behind the idea, said: 'Who wouldn't want a 70 foot photo of themselves?'

Throughout the season, the medieval fortress will be illuminated by projections of selfies in Santa hats and dogs dressed as reindeer.

Last Valentine's Day BID ran a competition for people to have messages displayed on the castle. Since then the network had looked at how to do something similar over Christmas.

'This seems a really nice way to engage the wider city and community,' Mr Gurney said, ' and to be able to do something festive and fun.'

The most creative photos will be projected onto the castle every evening in December until Christmas Eve, with the daily montage featuring some of the best 'festive faces'. The projections will be visible from different vantage points including the market and City Hall.

'We are always looking at new ways about how you engage with the city, with the people,' Mr Gurney said, noting the importance of 'things that can be shared' and visual images,

A series of three animated displays will also play on the castle's walls.

BID funds the majority of the Christmas lights across the city. This year, Tombland and Prince of Wales Road will be lit up.

Eastern Daily Press: Your festive snaps could appear on Norwich Castle this Christmas as part of a competition being run by Norwich Business Improvement DistrictYour festive snaps could appear on Norwich Castle this Christmas as part of a competition being run by Norwich Business Improvement District (Image: Archant)

The project is part of BID's 2018 Norwich at Christmas campaign, which kicks off with the seasonal competition looking for the best 'festive face'. The winner will see his or her portrait projected onto Norwich Castle on Christmas Day and will receive a luxury two-night break in the city next year.

The best of the photos will be published in an eight-page supplement in the Eastern Daily Press.

Your pictures can be uploaded to www.norwichatchristmas.co.uk/competition/ until December 16. The faces will be projected onto the castle between December 1 and 24.

BID has also launched a new website norwichatchristmas.co.uk and the use of #myfestivefavourites to encourage people to share what they love most about the city at Christmas.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Castle will be illuminated this Christmas with projections of people's faces. Executives I've director of Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) Stefan Gurney.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2018Norwich Castle will be illuminated this Christmas with projections of people's faces. Executives I've director of Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) Stefan Gurney.Byline: Sonya DuncanCopyright: Archant 2018 (Image: Archant 2017)

Tunnel of Light

The Tunnel of Light will return to Norwich this Christmas. Now in its third year, the stretch of lights will wind and glow from the Forum to Gentleman's Walk.

A glittering display of over 50,000 LED bulbs and almost six miles of light strings, the attraction will be switched on next week (November 15), with its original illuminations supplemented by two new lighting sequences. A James Bond-style display will feature speeding colours firing through the 45-metre long tunnel. The other is an illusion of cascading water with splashing waves rolling over the top.

The tunnel has attracted worldwide attention since it first appeared on Hay Hill in 2016, with one video gaining over ten million views.

Stefan Gurney, executive director of BID, said: 'There's so much to see and do, that's why we've created Norwich at Christmas. Norwich is a wonderful destination at Christmas with a host of amazing one-off seasonal events and spectacular Christmas illuminations including the Tunnel of Light.'