Our annual Lightpool Festival wouldn’t be the same without a generous helping of the live entertainment and exciting events that Blackpool is famous for and is guaranteed to blow your imagination. Here's what took place last October:
Carnival Magic
Date: Monday 26 October, 7.30pm
Location: The Blackpool Tower Ballroom
Tickets: £3.50 – tickets are now sold out.
Join us for a very special edition of Carnival Magic as it returns to the Tower Ballroom as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of Lightpool Festival.
From roaming peacocks, butterflies and flower dancers to fire-fuelled surprises and the arrival of IOLA 2.0, a giant party-loving robot and her stilt-walking drummers, the show builds towards a dazzling finale celebrating light, love and togetherness. Bursting with music, movement, colour and carnival energy, this immersive spectacle invites audiences of all ages to become part of the celebration.
Join the Magic
The experience doesn't end when the performance does. After the show, audiences are invited to meet the performers and some of the spectacular characters, with plenty of opportunities to capture the perfect Carnival Magic selfie.
Celebrate 10 years of Lightpool Festival with a fantastic evening of music, movement, fire, puppetry and spectacular surprises.
Grundy Late Nights
Date: 23 & 29 October
Location: Grundy Art Gallery
Sweet Factory & All Sweetness and Light at Grundy Art Gallery brings together two interconnected exhibitions exploring Blackpool's rich heritage of sweet-making, glass production and light. Featuring vibrant glass sculptures by Liverpool artist Linny Venables, alongside new artworks created with local communities, Sweet Factory celebrates seaside culture, working-class traditions and shared memories. Meanwhile, All Sweetness and Light showcases illuminated artworks from Grundy's collection and beyond, featuring nationally recognised and emerging artists whose work explores themes of class, community and identity through light, language and playful imagery. Open from 23 October to 19 December 2026, with special late-night openings during Lightpool Festival on 23 and 29 October until 9pm.
For more information, visit grundy.org
Welcoming Winter
Location: Mereside Field
Date: Friday 23 October, 6.30pm
This summer, developed with international artists Heather Peak and Ivan Morison, LeftCoast transformed a corner of Mereside into the Field of Dreams – a wildflower meadow growing art, biodiversity and new possibilities.
After a community scything festival, Ivan transformed the meadow’s harvest into a family of extraordinary field creatures: three-metre-tall sculptures made from the land itself, who will overwinter in the meadow, slowly returning their nourishment to the soil.
For Lightpool, artists AndNow will bring fire, light and performance to the Field of Dreams, creating an intimate and immersive evening of gathering, transformation and seasonal ritual. Small, sculptural fires will come to life across the meadow in a choreographed performance, their glowing embers illuminating the creatures and transforming the landscape after dark.
As the fires gently burn down, you’ll be invited to wander among the guardians of the meadow, discovering the creatures up close and experiencing the Field of Dreams in a new light.
Inspired by Fylde Coast traditions of coming together as the year turns, Welcoming Winter offers a moment to pause, gather and celebrate the changing season – and to welcome the creatures who will keep watch over the meadow through winter.
Showtown Lates
Date: 24-31 October, 5.30pm-9pm
Location: Showtown
Tickets: Adults £5 and kids go free.
Showtown will be packed with live characters, illuminated performances, challenges and plenty of surprises.
- Marvel at magic and illusion from our mischievous Quack Doctor
- Watch spectacular light-up and glow juggling
- Meet Dorothy, our 1950s dance teacher gone urban, for a brilliantly daft mash-up of ribbons, light, classic moves and street dance
- Take on the Ringmaster’s Tightrope Challenge
Expect magic, mayhem, glowing performances and plenty of silliness as Showtown comes alive after hours.
BOOK TICKETS
Guided Tour
Date: Thursday 29 October, 7pm
Start Location: Houndshill Shopping Centre (Victoria Street entrance)
We invite you to join us for a memorable occasion that will enhance your understanding of the artistry presented at Lightpool Festival 2026.
On this special evening, Grundy Art Gallery will be open 6pm - 9pm, featuring this year's exhibitions Linny Venables: Sweet Factory All Sweetness and Light & Collection Spotlight: Gifted
Interact with our expert guides, who are eager to address any inquiries you may have. This exclusive tour will be conducted by a member of the Lightpool Festival team, accompanied by a qualified British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter. The duration of the tour is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Please note that there will be live filming and photography during the events listed above. Any pictures provided maybe used by VisitBlackpool for promotional purposes. If you do not wish to be included, please contact VisitBlackpool Web Team.