Revellers at the Snowbombing festival in Austria were treated to a light show with a difference this week, when a pair of snowboarders in LED suits descended the slopes as darkness fell.

Covered from head to toe in green and blue lights, and blasting music from portable Sony XB40 speakers, the riders wove their way down the mountain to signal that the pistes had closed for the day, marking the start of the après-ski session.

Held every year in Mayrhofen, Snowbombing is one of the best-known festivals in the Alps, combining spring skiing with star-studded lineups – this year's bill includes music from Run The Jewels and Chase & Status.

Costumes with lights on have been used before to create stunning displays on the snow. In 2014, for the short film Afterglow, four professional skiers in LED suits hit the backcountry for a breathtaking night-time sequence.

Each of the skiers – Pep Fujas, Eric Hjorleifson, Chris Benchetler and World Cup downhill champion Daron Rahlves – wore 7,000 LEDs on their clothing for the film, which was shot in the steeps of the Alaskan wilderness and the tree-lined slopes of British Columbia in western Canada.

The stunt obviously required nerves of steel, but you don’t need special equipment and a head for danger to enjoy the pistes at night. Many resorts in the Alps have opportunities for nocturnal riding, including skiing by moonlight in Zermatt – LED-covered clothing optional.