Blackpool Illuminations

Everyone should see the famous Blackpool Illuminations

Blackpool Illuminations sees this seaside city of fun still buzzing with excitement and laughter long after other resorts have gone into winter hibernation. At 10 kilometers long and using over one million bulbs the Blackpool Illuminations are an awesome spectacle.

2012 marked the centenary of the first public display of light in Blackpool. While the first display of ´electric sunshine´ in Blackpool was in 1879, when 8 arc lights shone on the promenade. It was in May 1912, to mark the opening of a new section of promenade by Princess Louise, 10,000 lights were festooned along the promenade. The light were such a huge success that the following September Blackpool Chamber of Commerce were persuaded to stage the ´Illuminations´ this was the beginning of Blackpool Illuminations.

Now the Illuminations consist of almost every kind of light display you can imagine: lasers, neon, light bulbs, fibre optics, searchlights and floodlighting. There are 100's of scenic designs and features. There are set pieces made out of wood studded with light bulbs: the characters and objects portrayed seem to “move” by way of winking lights. Three-dimensional illuminated scenes are also popular. There are over 500 road features attached to lamp posts linked together with festoon lighting. Strings of lights along the structure of buildings pick out landmarks in luminous detail – you can always make out the Tower and the Pleasure Beach rides in this way.