What's New
Billed as ‘the greatest free show on earth’, visitors are going to be wowed by the 2010 innovations.
The annual razzle dazzle of Blackpool’s very own Northern Lights sees the resort still buzzing with excitement and laughter long after other holiday spots have gone into winter hibernation.
Multi award-winning Blackpool Illuminations entertain millions of visitors every year and in 2010 a talented team of artists, electricians and engineers have once again worked to produce new and exciting features and creatively challenging ideas to dazzle and amaze spectators. They’ve also enhanced and updated existing displays to ensure everyone has a Lights to remember.
Here’s a rundown of the key new features to look out for:
Fear the Glampire
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has designed this glamorous, uber-trendy, gothic creation with the aim of appealing directly to a teenage audience – which is a first for an Illuminations design.
Location: Cliffs North
Dino Doom
Its attack of the dinosaurs as iconic Blackpool suffers a crazed, fantasy-inspired dinosaur attack in a spectacular large tableau flooded with amazing lighting effects and projections. Hear them roar!!
Location: Cliffs North
Haunted Blackpool
Genuine Blackpool ghost stories are depicted in this spooky feature which uses computer controlled projections and dramatic sounds and lights to allow visitors to see and hear local people relaying their own hair-raising experiences.
Location: Cliffs North
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Local Heads
These Warhol-style pop art lights are a firm favourite, created in 2008 and featuring the heads of local people. This year Switch On Stars of yesteryear have been added to the mix – visitors can look out for Red Rum, Ronan Keating, Tony Blackburn, Ken Dodd and other familiar faces.
Location: North of Metropole Hotel.
Fountainsy Island
As the spaceships finally leave town, Gynn Island is converted into a bright and colourful water paradise awash with fountains and light. A bold mix of electronic fountains and water-based features, this promises to be the best ever feature to illuminate the landmark promenade island.
Location: Gynn Roundabou, North Shore.
Celebrate Blackpool
Blackpool celebrates itself on the Golden Mile in a series of wonderful colour illustrations to remind visitors of the many attractions in the town - including our very own award-winning Illuminations show!
Location: North of Central pier.
Welcome Arches
Completely revitalised for 2010, these now boast a multitude of new effects to promote shows and attractions as well as provide amazing patterns of swirling multicoloured lights over the highway.
Location: Starr Gate, South Shore & Bispham, North Shore.
Rangoli’s Peacock
This wonderful, colourful celebration of Divali, created in 2009, now has additional giant peacocks designed by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and has flown to a new location amongst the tableaux.
Location: Cliffs North.
Blackpool: Future City of Light
The 20ft x 90ft laser screen now features a brand new projection vehicle allowing a whole new show, created by residents of the resort’s Claremont Community Centre, alongside the Council’s Cultural Services team and artist Sumit Sarkar. The animation features an innovative vision of how Blackpool might look in the future.
Location: Queen’s Promenade
Brilliance
Blackpool’s stunning £2.5million state-of-the-art light and sound show has families dancing in the street and offers visitors a unique experience beneath the huge steel arches on Birley Street. Let us Entertain you as this year the show includes a special Robbie Williams spectacular, featuring the best of our Switch-On Star’s hits set to dramatic lighting – only in Blackpool.
Location: Birley Street, Town Centre.
Carnesky’s Ghost Train
Blackpool lights up with spooky goings-on this year as Carnesky’s Ghost Train rides into town, bringing an interactive ride that has been enjoyed by customers as far afield as Glastonbury and Brick Lane. Explore dark borders peopled with live performers for a hauntingly beautiful experience.
Location: Opposite Sandcastle Waterpark in Flagstaff Gardens, South Shore
Heritage and Blockbuster!
The tableaux along the Cliffs at North Shore are this year sorted into ‘Heritage’ and ‘Blockbuster’ sections. In the Heritage area you can see some firm favourites from years gone by, whilst the Blockbuster section features a series of exciting tableaux, old and new, including Dino Doom, Doctor Who, Fear the Glampire and Haunted Blackpool.
