Tomorrow night will be the climax of a year of celebrations for Oxfordshire's 1000th anniversary.

A huge range of events will be held across the county for Winter Light - a series of colourful finales staged in five towns.

Cath Nightingale, of co-ordinators Oxford Inspires, said the events in Oxford - themed White Night- promised to be spectacular.

She said: "All these events have some element of fire and light, which picks up on one of the themes of the year. It is about turning the spotlight on Oxfordshire."

Throughout the evening, the city's galleries, theatres, museums and open spaces will be open late to host a series of events.

These include a Tudor-themed night at the Museum of Oxford, a ghost festival and ice sculptures at Oxford Castle, and an arts fair at Gloucester Green.

Ms Nightingale said: "People's favourite places to visit will be letting the public in much later than they would normally. And even if the weather is bad there will be lots of lovely things going on inside.

"Expect the unexpected!"

A map and a guide outlining all the participating venues will be available - and if visitors get them stamped by three different places, they receive a free drink or gift.

Ms Nightingale said: "We are trying to get people to go round and visit the places they maybe haven't been before."

Among the most dramatic events will be Symphonie Conique, a forest of giant colour-changing illuminated cones set up in Broad Street, which respond to people around them by emitting different sounds.

Two of the city's museums, The Pitt Rivers and Natural History, will be open for exploration by torchlight, while at the Museum of the History of Science, live 'slam' poetry performances will be on offer.

Ms Nightingale said: "The year has been designed to turn the spotlight on Oxfordshire's culture and creativity and I think it really has done that.

"What has been so great is we have had a number of events which have never happened before. It has been a year to launch festivals that we hope will carry on for years to come and also celebrate the huge range of festivals that we have.

"The whole county has taken part in celebrating 1,000 years and we are thrilled."

Events include: 4pm-7pm: Ice sculptures at Oxford Castle; 5pm: Ice carving demonstration at Oxford Castle; until 7pm: Shopping at the Covered Market; until 7.30pm: Shopping in High Street 5-8pm: Christmas festivities and music at the Ashmolean Museum; 5.30-6pm: Barton Sings at the Covered Market; 5.30-9pm: Tudor Christmas at the Museum of Oxford; until 9pm: Books and entertainment at Blackwells Bookshop, Broad Street; 6pm: Aladdin at the Oxford Playhouse; 6-11pm: Symphonie Conique, right, Broad Street; 6.30pm-1.30am: Ghostfest at Oxford Castle; 5-10pm: Lights, exhibitions and activities, Modern Art Oxford; 6.30-7pm: Horns of Plenty at the Covered Market; 6.30-8.30pm: Ceroc Oxford at Oxford Town Hall; 7-11pm: Winter Warmer at Oxford University Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers; 7-11pm: Nightfair Before Christmas at Gloucester Green; 7-11pm: Going to Bakeries, all day Long at Ovada, Gloucester Green; 7-11pm: Cameras Obscura and exhibitions at the Museum of the History of Science; 8pm: Poetry Slam with Hammer & Tongue at the Museum of the History of Science; 8-9pm: Jive+ at the Castle Market Square; from 8.15pm: Acoustic set and family activities at Oxford Playhouse; 9pm-10pm: Late-night cabaret at the Burton Taylor Studio.