Shopping for outdoor lights and not sure whether you need festoon lights, fairy lights, or these mysterious “string lights” that every store seems to sell? You are not alone. It is the question we are asked more than any other, and the answer takes about thirty seconds.
The 30 second answer
| Festoon lights | Fairy lights | |
|---|---|---|
| Bulbs | Large feature globes, widely spaced | Tiny LEDs, closely spaced |
| Look | Bold and structured, cafe style | Delicate, twinkling, textural |
| Cable | Thick and heavy duty | Fine and flexible |
| Best for | Overhead runs, patios, venues | Wrapping trees, railings, detail |
| Brightness | Brighter, from fewer points | Softer, from many points |
| Typical power | 240V or low voltage 24V | Low voltage 24V or solar |
Festoon lights are the big bulb statement strings you see hanging over beer gardens and patios. Fairy lights are the fine, delicate strings you see wrapped around trees and woven through balustrades. Both are string lights, and the best outdoor setups often use both together.
What are festoon lights?
Festoon lights are strings of large, spaced out feature globes on a heavy duty cable. It is the look you see over cafe terraces and wedding receptions: a row of glowing bulbs that defines the space beneath it. Bulb spacing is typically 50 cm or 100 cm, and the globes themselves are the decoration, which is why they look good even switched off in daylight. For the full explanation, see our guide to what festoon lights are.
What are fairy lights?
Fairy lights are long strings of tiny LEDs on a fine cable, giving you dozens or hundreds of small points of light instead of a few large ones. They are made for wrapping, weaving and draping: tree trunks, pergola posts, railings and table settings. The effect is a soft twinkle rather than a bold glow. There is more detail in our fairy lights explainer.
So what are “string lights”?
String lights is simply the umbrella term. Any lights on a string qualify, which covers both festoon and fairy styles. In Australia you will also hear cafe lights, party lights and bistro lights, all of which usually mean the festoon style. If a retailer lists “outdoor string lights”, look at the bulb size in the photo to work out which type you are actually being sold. Our full outdoor string lights range covers both.
Side by side comparison
Look and ambience
Festoon gives you a bold, structured look: rows of glowing globes that define a space and double as daytime decoration. Fairy lights give you texture and sparkle, disappearing into whatever they are wrapped around and coming alive after dark. Put simply, festoon says “this is the entertaining area” and fairy says “this garden is magic”.
Bulbs and brightness
A festoon globe is a feature in its own right, and a 10 m string of ten globes will comfortably light a dining table underneath it. Fairy lights are about atmosphere rather than task lighting: hundreds of small LEDs produce a gentle glow that you layer for effect. If you need to see what you are eating, choose festoon. If you want the trees to shimmer, choose fairy.
Cable, lengths and spacing
Festoon cable is thick and designed to be seen, hung on catenary wire or hooks in long straight runs. Fairy light cable is fine enough to wrap tightly around a tree trunk or thread through lattice. Both ranges are connectable, so you can extend a run later as the space grows rather than starting again.
Power: 240V, low voltage 24V and solar
Festoon comes in 240V versions that plug into a standard outdoor power point, and low voltage 24V versions that run through a transformer, which is what most public facing venues choose. Fairy lights in our range run on low voltage 24V, with solar options for spots with no power at all. Anywhere near a pool, or anywhere guests can touch the lights, low voltage is the sensible specification.
Durability outdoors
This is where quality separates products far more than type does. Whichever style you choose, look for a genuine outdoor IP rating, shatterproof LED bulbs and UV stable cable. Everything in our range is built for permanent outdoor installation in Australian conditions and backed by a 2 year warranty, double the industry standard. Our guide to outdoor IP ratings explains what the numbers actually mean.
Which should you choose?
- Patio or alfresco dining area: festoon overhead, warm white, on a dimmer.
- Trees and garden beds: fairy lights, wrapped or draped.
- Pergola: festoon along the beams, fairy wrapped on the posts. Both.
- Wedding or event: a festoon canopy over the dance floor, fairy lights everywhere else.
- Balcony or small courtyard: either works. Fairy on the rails, or one short festoon run overhead.
- Hospitality venue: commercial grade low voltage kits in either style. See our trade and wholesale page.
Still not sure? Send us a photo of your space through the contact page or use live chat, and we will tell you exactly what it needs and how many metres to order.
Can you use both together?
Absolutely, and the best installations usually do. The classic combination is festoon overhead for structure and brightness, with fairy lights wrapped through nearby trees or railings for depth at eye level. Both run from the same style of power setup, and the warm white versions of each are colour matched across our range, so they read as one scheme rather than two competing ones.
Frequently asked questions
Are fairy lights and LED lights the same thing?
All of our fairy lights are LEDs, but “LED lights” is a much broader term covering everything from downlights to strip lighting. Fairy lights are one specific style: tiny LEDs on a fine wire.
Are fairy lights the same as Christmas lights?
Christmas lights are usually fairy lights sold seasonally. The difference is build quality. Genuine outdoor rated fairy lights do the same job year round instead of failing after one season.
Which is better for renters?
Both install without permanent fixing if you plan for it. Solar fairy lights are the easiest of all, since they need no power point and no cabling.
Can you join festoon and fairy lights to each other?
Not directly to one another, because they are separate systems, but each is extendable within its own range. You can run both from the same area and switch them together.
Which lasts longer outdoors?
Neither style has an inherent advantage. What matters is the IP rating, the cable and the bulb construction. Both of our ranges are rated for permanent outdoor installation and carry the same 2 year warranty.
