Psychedelic Lightshow Illuminates Aging English Castle (PHOTOS)

The Illuminating York Festival, an annual celebration during which elaborate or psychedelic patterns are projected on the city's iconic buildings, begins on Wednesday as York's Castle Museum lights up. The displays are carefully planned and take advantage of architectural mapping technologies.

In short, the whole thing is an A.V. kid's dream come true.

"Over 60,000 people experienced Illuminating York in 2010 and we are confident that we will see as many again with this year's mix of cutting edge technology, ghostly tours and a host of fringe events that promise to make this year's festival the biggest and most spectacular yet," said York Councilwoman Sonja Crisp in a press release.

The York Castle Museum is a hell of a projection screen. The building, which currently houses exhibits about the sixties and the prison that used to occupy the site, was originally built by William the Conqueror in 1068, though he probably didn't imagine seeing it in technicolor.

York is famous for it's Minster, the giant gothic cathedral that presides over the town and was illuminated last year. The church contains and colorful rose window, the precedent -- there is one -- to the cities festival of colored light.