Over the next four evenings, tens of thousands of people are expected to pack out Durham to welcome back Lumiere and they are certainly in for a treat.

Ahead of this Thursday's launch of the free light festival - 'a nocturnal art experience' created for us every other year by leading arts producer Artichoke - we had a sneak peek behind the scenes as final preparations were being made. Inside Durham Cathedral we saw the work of three world-renowned artists which is going on show in the UK for the first time - while the landmark's exterior is being treated to more Lumiere magic too.

And one in particular proved a real favourite. Illuminated Bottle Rack is the title given to a stunning installation inside the cathedral's Chapter House which is rarely open to the public and is taking part in the festival for the first time. So an opportunity to see inside the 11th century room - which was made famous by its role doubling as Professor McGonagall's classroom in the first two Harry Potter films - is a treat itself.

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The huge Bottle Rack inside - which dominates the space - is the creation of Ai Weiwei, a Chinese artist and activist, who endured harsh conditions growing up when his father, poet Ai Qing, was exiled. Now with a base in Cambridge, his work here is apparently inspired by that of late artist and sculptor Marcel Duchamp.

And it's a sparkling beauty, consisting of 61 antique chandeliers which, displayed together, forms a giant chandelier shape in itself; a whopping upside-down bottle rack forming its many branches. Whether it is effect of all those shining lights or the thick stone walls around it, this is a warm space to enjoy a stop-off on the outdoor Lumiere trail and absorb the sheer scale of a remarkable artwork.

What's more, visitors will have more time to see it as opening hours are being extended especially for this attraction, making it available to view during the day too. Where the rest of Lumiere's 40 light installations will be on show during the evenings of the festival's Thursday to Sunday run, the Chapter House will be open from 10am-3.30pm too - and from noon until 2pm on the last day.

Outside the Chapter House, a second installation brings drama to the Cloister - which also featured in Harry Potter scenes. In the encircled grassed courtyard is American artist Adam Frelin's new work Inner Cloister - arcs of light that replicate the shape of the surrounding cloister arches. And they light up in sequence, to replicate the movement of people as they walk the route, following in the footsteps of the original monks.

Inside the cathedral is the third stunning installation, called Pulse Topology, created by Mexican artist Rafael. It's an overhead canopy of thousands of bulbs and they really do pulse, the lights being activated by the recorded heartbeat of visitors themselves.

During the day, the lights will be raised up high so that the cathedral can be used as normal but, by evening during Lumiere's run, pews will be removed and the lights lowered to give an all-round immersive experience. As we found during our Wednesday night preview, the effect is thoroughly atmospheric.

Last admission to the cathedral will be at 10.30pm. Tickets - which have been available to book, for free, online - are required to visit the city centre attractions during the peak hours of 4.30pm and 7.30pm but outside of that people are free to wander at their will.

We head out of the cathedral to look at its outdoor artwork and find a giant projection not just confined to the building but extending to all those which line Palace Green. Black and white patterns move over the stonework - stripes one moment; geometric shapes the next - and it's absorbing and fascinating to watch. This is Liquid Geometry and a three-dimensional creation by Spanish artist Javier Riera which is one of three commissions supported by Durham University.

We will have to wait until next time to see nearby Durham Castle, which is being turned into a giant colouring book projection by Dutch production house Mr Beam with the help of drawings made by 150 residents and visitors. Clock ticking, we head down to the Market Place.

Even if you are caught out time-wise, without tickets for the peak hours, there are plenty of illuminations to see around the city and its riverside and this year Lumiere, which is commissioned by Durham County Council, extends further across Durham too, with four big artworks to see in Bishop Auckland from 5pm-10pm.

In Durham itself, Lumiere runs from 4.30pm to 11pm and you can certainly get your steps in if you set out to cover as many as possible on your visit. On preview night, we passed the Magdalene Steps transformed into sparkling silver in readiness for the final stages of work ahead of Thursday's launch.

We finished our mini tour in the Market Place with a blast of colour around us in Hurts So Good by one of the UK's leading visual artists Chila Burman. With neon figures, animals and messages lighting up building fronts and a lovely tiger illumination in the centre of the square, it all looks cheery and fun while apparently referencing a range of issues and ideas, including Indian mythology, female empowerment and Britain’s colonial legacy.

Helen Marriage, the artistic director of Artichoke, says that Lumiere, which is the UK’s first light art biennial, is featuring some of the world’s greatest contemporary artists. "I’m really proud that such a unique outdoor art gallery continues to be free and accessible to everyone," she said.

“Lumiere is the biggest event happening across the North East and the UK this weekend and brings visitors to this beautiful city from far and wide. Artichoke is always determined to reimagine and reinvent the familiar, and this year’s Lumiere programme is more ambitious than ever.”

For our guide to the festival and travel tips see here and find more preview night images here. For full information about the range of attractions see Lumiere's website.