Illuminating facts

Did you know?

The Illuminations started with a display of 8 arc lamps back in 1879.
The event was so innovative it even preceded Thomas Edison’s patent of the humble electric light bulb which didn’t arrive until the following year.
In 1879 the Illuminations were described as artificial sunshine and
100,000 people came to see this first great light show
Forty large tableaux holding more than 5,000 square metres in surface area are included in the display.
The equipment weighs more than 711,000 kilograms which is equivalent to 350 Blackpool trams.
Illuminations have been sold to Jeddah.
There are over a million lamps in the display.
There are more than 500 floodlights and spotlights.
In 1939 the lights were erected but never switched on because of the outbreak of war.
In the 1960's electronic controllers were pioneered in the Illuminations. Rope light or "linear light" as it was originally known was also pioneered here.
It takes 22 weeks to erect the Illuminations.
It takes 9 weeks to dismantle them.
Most of the display now operates on low voltage eg. 12v and 24v.
There are more than 100 miles of festoon strip strung between promenade poles and across the carriageway.
Cable and wiring in the display stretches more than 200 miles.
The Illuminations cost £2.4 million to stage.
The equipment itself is worth about £10 million.
In 2003 the Illuminations cut its electricity consumption by 11% using new technology.
Wind turbines at the Solarium on New South Promenade contributed to powering the llluminations for the first time in 2004.
In 2002 the display included a world’s first in exterior LED technology