The annual festival that illuminates Downtown Binghamton’s architecture into beautiful pieces of art was held this past weekend, bringing thousands of visitors to the city’s streets for two nights of art exhibitions, vendors and a celebration of community.

The LUMA Projection Arts Festival, founded in 2015 by a street photographer, film editor and event planner, has since evolved into one of Binghamton’s biggest annual events, showcasing the work of artists from around the world, engineers, city workers and designers who have dedicated themselves to the success of the yearly festival. With powerful projectors and 3D animation, Binghamton’s buildings were transformed into an outdoor art gallery that visitors can view in any order they choose.

This year’s LUMA celebrated the 100th birthday of Rod Sterling, the creator of “The Twilight Zone” and a famous screenwriter who called Binghamton his hometown. The installations varied greatly when it came to artistic style and theme. “Reverie” by Glitch, paid tribute to the Surrealism movement, exploring different phases of sleep by bending abstract forms with imagined landscapes. “Zodiac” by Maxin10sity, explored the meaning of each of the 12 astrological signs with a stylized steampunk twist.

Tara Lange, 30, of Binghamton, described her favorite aspects of “Zodiac.”

“I liked that it was really bright and colorful, and how every different horoscope sign was different from each other, so that was really cool to see,” Lange said. “It was a little bit slower, which I kind of enjoyed, because I could really take in the lights and the technique of all of the art and designs.”

Another display was the “Peg Johnston Living Lights Project,” previously called “Mural Mapping,” which was a community-inspired initiative that allowed artists of all backgrounds to share their works by having them projected at 34 Court St.

“Neon Nexus: An Organic Awakening” by Mindscape Studio, was a fusion of Art Nouveau and Art Deco with sci-fi elements. It featured stone facades and chrome-plated insects that symbolized nature’s guardians. Olivia Graham, a junior majoring in English, shared her favorite aspects of the festival and her interpretation of the piece.

“The sci-fi elements and insects contrasting with the more classical looking architecture really was interesting to see,” Graham wrote in an email. “To me, it represented how art and society has continued to change over time.”

“Casual Fusion” by Los Romeras was a visual depiction of the fundamental elements that make us human. It explored how knowledge allows us to paint our lives with music and art — exemplified by the projection creating illusions of scrolls protruding out of the structure’s windows and the building being splattered with colorful paint.

“BLUE³” by Ruestungsschmie.de was a reflection of the color blue as part of the American flag. The piece was divided into three phases — vigilance, perseverance and justice.

“The projection technology is really unique,” Lange said. “It’s something like I’ve never seen. It’s a different form of art that’s just not really accessible that easily to people, so that was really cool to see on each different building.”

Roberta Villaça, a first-year graduate student studying political science, shared why she believes LUMA is important.

“There are a lot of BU students here who are not from Binghamton,” Villaça said. “So it’s really cool to have events like this so people can actually get to know more of the city.”

Every piece featured at this year’s LUMA was meaningful and extravagant, showcasing the works of artists from around the world and supporting vendors from the Binghamton area. A combination of visual and audio effects, the annual festival continues to provide visitors with a unique glimpse into the stories of global communities and inspire creativity.