Everything you need to know about Blackpool Illuminations 2024

The “greatest free light show on Earth” is back for 2024!

Blackpool Illuminations has always been popular with Scousers, and this year it is back bigger than ever before.

Stretching six miles along the Blackpool Promenade with traditional festoons, tableaux, and interactive displays, it’s no wonder Blackpool Illuminations has been called the greatest free light show on Earth!

Did you know that Blackpool was the first town to have electric street lighting and visitors from all over first came to marvel at Blackpool’s Lights in 1879? This sparked Blackpool’s long association with light and electricity, and it’s amazing to see the tradition continues to this day.

Blackpool Illuminations. Credit: Visit Blackpool / Gary Mitchell

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Illuminations:

Where is it?

The Illuminations will be on display at Blackpool Promenade, and (depending on which way you’re travelling through) the display starts at Starr Gate (Squires Gate) and ends at Red Bank Road in Bispham.

The light switch on celebration will be held on the Tower Festival Headland.

When is it?

This year’s Blackpool Illuminations switch on will be earlier than usual, taking place on Friday 30 August 2024 at 5pm.

When will it finish?

Earlier this year it was announced that the Illuminations will be extended by two months, ending on 5 January 2025.

How much is it?

Nothing… it is absolutely FREE! However Blackpool Illuminations rely heavily on public and business donations to continue the yearly tradition. When visiting you can donate some of your spare change at our collection huts, or click here to donate.

Who is hosting?

This year Liverpool’s Leanne and Joel from Hits Radio will be presenting the switch on in Blackpool.

Who will switch on the lights?

Get ready to Spice Up Your Life… Spice Girls legend Mel B will be doing the honours this year.

“I’m so thrilled to be turning on the illuminations because Blackpool has played a big part in my life and career,” Mel B said.

“I was just 16 when I came to Blackpool to be part of the Mystique dance group. To me it was the most glamorous place in the world – the Vegas of Britain.

“I had so much to learn, so fast and it stood me in good stead for everything that came later. I love the people, the place and, of course, the fish and chips – with plenty of scraps.

“So, to have the opportunity in 2024 to come back and turn on the Illuminations means so much to me. I’m really excited to get the party started!”

Who is performing?

This year’s show kicks off with a performance from Blackpool Introduces, featuring talent from The Upbeat Rock Academy, which provides rock music tuition to over 300 students across the Fylde Coast.

Following this opening act, a two-hour show hosted by Hits Radio will feature an impressive lineup of musical talent.

The event will start with the “Massaoke” show performed by Rockstar Weekend, a band described by David Walliams as “the greatest party band of all time!” – A unique production that invites the audience to sing along to some of the greatest hits of all time, displayed on giant LED screens.

Next up is pop icon and Grammy-nominated artist Kimberly Wyatt. The former member of The Pussycat Dolls will bring her high-energy DJ set to the stage, spinning some of the biggest tracks of the Noughties along with dance hits and other pop classics.

Headlining the show is Ella Henderson, who will perform an extended set featuring hits from her extensive catalog. Ella rose to fame as a contestant on The X-Factor before releasing her debut album Chapter One, which topped the UK albums chart.

To close the event, the legendary Mel B will step up for the iconic Switch-On moment, flipping the switch to kick off four months of Blackpool Illuminations.

The below schedule is approximate and subject to change:

5pm-6.30pm: Upbeat Rock Academy and House of Wingz
6.30pm – 7pm: Hits Radio Music Video Show
7pm-9pm: Massaoke Band, Kimberly Wyatt & Ella Henderson
8.45pm-9pm: Switch on

What’s new?

There’s 6 new displays taking place this year:

Disco Donkey Cavalcade By Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen – Twelve donkeys, including five fabulous females and seven magnificent males, each with their names painted on, are all decked out in funky 70s-inspired swimwear, prancing around a 16-foot high platform.

Light Around the World By Leigh Francis – Set your sights on a brand new tableau, created by Leigh Francis (aka TV star Keith Lemon). Inspired by Leigh’s love for both space and dinosaurs, this tableau brings to life his fascination with flight.

Aliens Reimagined by Lightworks x Blackpool Sixth – Get ready for a blast from the past with a reimagined twist! A brand-new overhead roadway section is set to pay tribute to the beloved Aliens feature that graced the Illuminations display several years ago.

Chandelier Causeway by Lightworks – Reimagined for 2024, the Chandelier Causeway roadway section features a series of stunning LED giant chandeliers and strobe lighting festoon, giving a glamorous and glitzy nod to the decadent chandeliers of The Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Buzz Wire by Lightworks – This larger-than-life arcade game, stretching five meters long, lets you test your nerve and precision against a backdrop of Blackpool’s iconic skyline.

Spitfire Island by Lightworks – As a special tribute to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings, all three of the replica Spitfires on Gynn Roundabout will display special markings for the 2024 display.

How can you see them?

There are regular trains to Blackpool from Liverpool Lime Street, so why not avoid the long traffic queues and stroll through the lights on foot?

Park up the car, grab some obligatory fish and chips, and walk along Blackpool Promenade to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

If you are wishing to go by car, the display starts at Starr Gate (Squires Gate) and ends at Red Bank Road in Bispham.

Ride The Lights

Get on your bike and get an exciting preview of the lights on 27 August.

Ride The Lights is not a bike race, it’s a fun and FREE bike ride open to all. A great opportunity to get out and about on your bike with both family and friends.

You can find out all about it here.

Illuminations Tram Tour

See the Illuminations aboard a piece of moving history on one of Blackpool’s iconic trams.

It’s always best to book in advance for these as they sell out quickly.

Find out more here.

Lightpool Festival

Medusae by Simon Clegg. Credit: Visit Blackpool

The award-winning Lightpool Festival is back this October and features a mix of extraordinary light installations, live performance and 3D projection shows.

It is set across various indoor and outdoor locations and will be taking place from 18 – 26 October.

More info here.

Tower Projections

Transport you to another world with these free, digitally-mapped shows.

A visual treat that will leave you spellbound, the Tower Projections will run from 1 September – 7 January.

Find out more about them here.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

No visit to Blackpool is complete without a trip to the fair is it?

With high thrill rides like The Big One and the incredible Icon, to family favourites like Alice in Wonderland and Wallace and Gromit, there’s fun for everyone at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

It’s the perfect way to spend the day before watching the lights on your way home.

Find out more here.

Madame Tussauds

Ever fancied pulling a pint in the Rovers Return? Saving the world with Marvel Superheroes? Or maybe just getting a quick selfie with Harry Styles? Well Madame Tussauds in Blackpool is the place for you.

Before a night of watching the iconic Illuminations, why not take a trip through the incredible waxworks of Madame Tussauds.

Find out more here.

Sea Life

If you’re looking for a way to make a day out of seeing the lights then head over to Sea Life and get ready to come face to face with creatures of the deep.

There’s turtles, jellyfish, clownfish (for all you Finding Nemo fans), and more.

More info here.

Play the Arcade’s

It is the law that you HAVE to play the arcades when you go to Blackpool… have you actually even been if you don’t?

Coral Island is one of the biggest in town, you can’t miss them they have a giant pirate skull on the outside. Get on the camel derby or the 2p machines so that the kids (and big kids) will have a boss time.

More info here.