Blackpool Illuminations facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackpool Illuminations |
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Illuminations along Blackpool promenade with the Blackpool Tower in the background.
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| Dates | 30 August 2024 – 5 January 2025 |
| Location(s) | Blackpool, Lancashire, England |
| Years active | 1879–present |
The Blackpool Illuminations is a super cool annual lights festival held in the British seaside town of Blackpool. It started way back in 1879 and is famous for its amazing light displays. People often call them The Lights or The Illuminations.
This festival runs every autumn for over 100 days, from late August until early January. This is a time when many other seaside towns are closing for the winter. The lights stretch for about 6.2 miles (10 km) along the Promenade, from Starr Gate in the south to Bispham in the north. Over one million light bulbs are used to create this spectacular show!
Contents
History of the Lights
How it All Started
The Blackpool Illuminations first lit up in 1879. People called it 'Artificial sunshine' because it was so bright! Back then, it only had eight carbon arc lamps. This was even before Thomas Edison patented the electric light bulb!
The first display that looked a bit like today's Illuminations happened in May 1912. This was to celebrate Princess Louise opening a new part of the Promenade. About 10,000 light bulbs were used to decorate the area. People loved it so much that they asked the Blackpool Council to bring the lights back in September that year. It was a huge hit!
Lights Through the Years
The lights continued in 1913, but then the First World War stopped them. They didn't return until 1925. By 1932, they added amazing animated displays called tableaux (say "tab-lows") along the cliffs. The Illuminations also grew to their current length.
In 1935, something special happened. The Mayor of Blackpool, Alderman George Whittaker, was supposed to switch on the lights. But he was so impressed by a 15-year-old girl named Audrey Mosson, who was the Railway Queen, that he asked her to do it instead! Fifty years later, in 1985, Audrey came back to switch on the lights again with actress Joanna Lumley.
The Second World War stopped the lights again in 1939. Because of money problems after the war, they didn't come back until 1949.
The Big Switch On
A Star-Studded Event
Every year, the Illuminations kick off with a huge event called The Big Switch On. A famous celebrity is invited to pull the switch and turn on the six miles of lights! This exciting ceremony first happened in 1934, when Lord Derby did the honours.
Since 1993, the Switch On ceremony has been broadcast live on the radio. It's a massive party with a concert featuring pop bands, singers, and comedians, all before the big moment when the celebrity flicks the switch!
Modern-day Illuminations
How to See the Lights
Most people enjoy the Illuminations by driving through them in a car, coach, or bus. You can also ride special open-top trams or horse-drawn carriages called landau along the tramway. At Bispham, there's a special walkway where you can get a closer look at the large, detailed tableaux displays.
The Illuminations cost about £1.9 million each year to put on. In 2007, famous TV designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen even created a special display called Decodance near Blackpool Tower!
Amazing Displays
The displays along the cliffs from North Shore to Bispham are huge, covering more than 5,000 square metres! There's a path for people to walk along and see these amazing displays up close. The Blackpool Tramway runs right through the Illuminations, making it easy to see everything.
In 2007, a cool new Doctor Who display appeared, featuring monsters from the TV show. At Gynn Square, there was a "Space Invasion" with a giant spaceship hovering 40 feet in the air, battling smaller spaceships. This display used colourful LEDs to create a fantastic effect!
Future Plans
Blackpool Council is always planning new things for the Illuminations. They want to make the lights even more exciting and get more businesses to help support them. They also plan to add new, impressive arches at each end of the Illuminations. There are also plans to make the Doctor Who section even bigger with battles between Daleks and the TARDIS!
Blackpool Festival of Light
Every year, alongside the Illuminations, there's also the Blackpool Festival of Light. This festival combines art and light, with special displays and installations around the town. In 2007, there was a fun mixed-media display called "Donkey Fest" and amazing light projections on buildings. They even had the UK's first Illuminated Art Car Parade!
Special Illuminated Trams
Blackpool has unique trams that are rebuilt and decorated with lights to become illuminated theme trams. These special trams run along the Promenade during the Illuminations. One famous tram, the Western Train, which first ran in 1962, was brought back to life in 2008 thanks to a special grant. Another iconic tram, the Rocket tram, is also being restored to return to service!
How the Lights are Powered
It takes 22 weeks to set up all the lights before the Switch On, and nine weeks to take them down afterwards. The Illuminations are becoming more eco-friendly! Most of the display now uses low voltage (12 V and 24 V) to save energy. Since 2004, wind turbines have helped power the lights.
The Illuminations now use only green electricity from renewable sources like wind power, small hydropower plants, and Biogas. The goal is for the display to be carbon neutral, meaning it has no negative impact on the environment.
Friends of the Illuminations
In 2008, Blackpool Council started a group called "Friends of the Illuminations." This group helps shape the future of the lights and encourages support from people all over the world. They want the Illuminations to be even more interactive and exciting!
Blackpool Christmas Lights
Separate from the main Illuminations, Blackpool also has Christmas Lights. These are switched on every November in the town centre. On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, the main Illuminations are also turned on to add to the festive cheer!
Artists and designers
- Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen – Creative Director/Designer: Decodance, Venus Reborn, Fear The Glampire, Fountainsy Island, DinoDoom, Theatre D'Amour, Bling, Diamonds Are A Queen's Best Friend (Jubilee Tableau) (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Sarah Myerscough – Artist: Concertina Critters, Dr Who, Venus Reborn, Egyptian Tableau, Decodance, Alice in Wonderland, Pirate Tableau, Ali Baba (2005 – )
Images for kids
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An illuminated tram on Blackpool promenade.
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The illuminated Western Train Tramcar.
See also
- A584 road
- Festivals in the United Kingdom
- Festival of Lights (disambiguation)
