Blackpool Illuminations

We can't believe it's here! The last weekend of The Lights! As it will be a busy weekend, maybe think about taking the Tram Tour from the heritage stop outside Sandcastle Waterpark, OR view them by foot, strolling through The Lights with a hot drink or fish and chips! ­¤śŹ­¤śŗ Whatever way.. have a great time.

A little glimpse at the Light Art Trail that starts tomorrow! #LightpoolFestival

#LightOdyssey is nearly here . . . look how beautiful the Empress Ballroom looks, and that's without all of the animations moving across the ceiling. How exciting! Bon chance, BBC Philharmonic!

We rely on public donations to fund The Lights and keep our promenade sparkling year after year Help us keep the Illuminations as the greatest free lightshow on Earth! Donations can be made at either one of our promenade donation points or online here:

Are you joining us for Lightpool Festival? We have a VERY limited number of Lightpool Festival event bundles.
- A ticket to Light Odyssey on October 18 at Winter Gardens Blackpool. - Be a part of the illuminated tram parade on one of the heritage fleet trams on October 25 for Carnival of the Lights.
... . . . for just ┬Ż20.00/25.00pp (depending on seating choice)! Pick up in person only at the Blackpool Tourist Information Centre!
See more

Hello, everyone! Please note that Dogs Unite Blackpool 2018 has been postponed until 21st of October. Tell Rover to update his diary!

Are you ready for #RUSH?

Explore a world of fantasy with the Lightpool projection Enchanted Blackpool! Follow the journey from under the sea to the Tower Ballroom! View the projection on foot at the Comedy Carpet for the best view!

Unsure what to expect at RUSH at #LightpoolFestival? This free event is being organised by LeftCoast and will be spectacular. Free tickets must be booked in advance! Head to our Lightpool Festival page for more information!

Do many hands make light work? Not at the Illuminations! Despite the 45 staff members ranging from artists to electricians, the 6-mile-long display weighs around 711,000 kilos!

Happy families having happy times. <3

Were never disappointed! We go every year it's Such good fun ! This year we stayed for 2 nights but if you're not staying I would recommend - for the best way to join in and appreciate the lights and the experience go early !, park up and get a tram or walk along the front !

Don't forget to buy you're light up hats /swords etc ! Mums ,Dads , Grandparents , Aunts & Uncles Aswel !! It's gotta be done ’┐Į!

There were dancers & music outside the tower before it lit up with a procession of the illuminated trams ’┐Į

Central pier has rides and a family bar with a great kids entertainer !

Travel all the way to bispham to see the really big lights ! Basil brush etc Yes they were there last year and the year before but it's amazing all the same ! It never gets old for me

See you next year ! Xx

First ever visit to Blackpool illuminations this year I absolutely loved every minute of it we decided to park up have day in fun Fare and walk up and down strip what a lovely day we had one of the best days out IŌĆÖve had I enjoyed it so much canŌĆÖt wait to come again next year. My only change next year will be to book a hotel and stay over for the full weekend. I wasnŌĆÖt disappointed one little bit I canŌĆÖt believe how lovely Blackpool what I thought it was going to be like. The organisers for this and everyone involved in putting up all the lights do Blackpool proud. Well done !

So firstly don't drive down the road you'll be stuck for hours instead I'd park up on a side street near the top end at Bispham and then walk down past all the large displays. It's much more enjoyable and you can all enjoy the lights.



Then depending on the age of your children walk down to the tower. We've got 3 kids aged 8, 5 and 22 months we took scooters for the 2 eldest and the baby was in the buggy and we scooted and walked down to the tower where they were projecting short films onto the Base of the tower. The kids loved the Tim Peake film however I think these were only for Sunday but check out the illuminations website.



We go every year on the weekend of the clocks going back. This year was one of the best. I have done the drive past the lights on one occasion and vowed never to do it again so I can understand the 1 star reviews from those who do.

Traffic was as others have said rammed. Had we stayed in the car it would have taken hours. So we parked up and walked from just before the pleasure beach to central pier then got the tram back. We ate at Mr Chippy beneath the big one which wasn't bad food at all and acceptably priced.

The main even, the illuminations started ok but then turned rubbish by south pier. The four year old enjoyed it which was the main thing.

My self and my daughter took the grandkids and my foster son, I remember 20 years ago I saw the lights at Blackpool and Blackpool it's self for the time and could not quite understand why people went? This time around I enjoyed it much better and the kids loved it, the town seamed cleaner but must admit even thou the light were new they where not as good as the old fashioned more colourful ones, and sadly only two lit up trams, people won't bright colourful old fashioned trams!! Bring back the old trams for the illuminations please!!’┐Į

Went oct 29th... I love Blackpool and usually walk through the lights . It was the first time in years that we drove through, due to weather and having grandkids with us..we drove to the start at north side and after a bit got stuck in traffic which eventually made us turn off well before the tower and not finish the lights..we wer disappointed as we're the children...we noticed the problem was traffic from the 'side roads pushing in causing gridlocks..it should be more organised to keep the traffic flowing...close the side roads so all the traffic goes one way through the lights...such a shame as it's put us off for next year. I'm sure it would not be hard to sort out xx

The illuminations in essence are very good but sitting in solid traffic for hours is no fun at all. Comes to something when the "best thing ever" for the little ones was winning some lolly pops and chews at the amusements! Started at Bispham but gave up shortly after Hilton. Chaos does not adequately describe the state of the traffic! Felt sorry for the kiddies - and their parents!

Sadly disappointed that the Illuminations Department are not moving with the times. More needs to be done for the little children so they will bring their own children in the future. The tableaus are a disgrace .....some of them were there when I was a child. Basil Brush, Sooty and those flipping teddy bears need to be pensioned off. You need more themed things on the lampposts like you used to do. My daughter came on an infant school visit when the Spring, Sumner, Autumn & Winter tableaus were made and she's 26yrs old. This event was the jewel in Blackpool's crown .....now other towns are surpassing you with their Xmas light displays. Get some new young blood in the Illuminations department and get things modernised please, for everyone's sake ’┐Į !!!!

What a complete joke! Queued for well over an hour on the A5230 to get onto the A584 due to "manual traffic light control". The people controlling the traffic were biased towards letting traffic from Lytham St Anne's onto the prom. Meanwhile everyone else in our queue was sat getting completely wound up. It's been over 10 years since I've been, and I wish I hadn't bothered coming back. We had a very fed up 8 year old in the car and it took all the fun out of it. Don't bother wasting your time and money.

Well I wish I could put less than 1 star. We were at the very beginning for 7.30 under the welcome to Blackpool flashing sign and by 9pm we had only just got to the pleasure beach. By this point my little girl was completely fed up and disappointed so we ended up turning round and going home. Surly with such an iconic even the organisers could put a little more thought into the flow of traffic. There was also loads of motorcycles going down the centre, this seemed to be planned as there were marshals every so often with them. Most definitely not the evening we had planned after driving over an hour to see these then you have the audacity to ask for a donation. I dont think so when I see more lights on my own house at Christmas.

We waited until 6:15pm till the lights came on and set off straight into the illuminations from the St Anne's end. We moved a total of 2 miles in 2 and half hours by car. I cannot understand why I took so long when we were literally one of the first cars through when the lights went on. We did it from the Cleveleys end last year, with a same if not worse experience. We have two little boys who have been thoroughly disappointed with what they've seen. Sort it out Blackpool!

We came 2 years ago and got 3/4 of the way through before I lost the will to live as traffic management was appalling. However I have so many good memories of the illuminations as a kid I thought weŌĆÖd try it again today as they mustŌĆÖve sorted the traffic issues out. Headed to south shore and joined where the bus station is......1 hour and 45 mins later we had only just got passed the big one (1 mile)The first set of lights sponsored by the company who set them up, the next set sponsored by a jeweller and the next set were so poor and old I think they mustŌĆÖve been used when I was there as a kid!!! The next lot of lights, we could see, looked very poor so we turned round just after the big one and headed back to south shore to get home. WonŌĆÖt ever be back for the lights........awful.

Took the 2 grandchildren to see the lights yesterday (Wednesday) after sitting and waiting patiently to see the lights they came on as was stated at 6pm but the tower did not light up till some considerable time later by which time we had long since gone passed the tower the children were so disappointed as that was the 1 thing they wanted to see as for the rest of the lights well they were very disappointing and they weren't really that good there were a few good ones at the very end but on the whole very disappointing kids were so upset . Pity they dont have them on for a longer period of time to enable people to see them better as there wouldnt be such a mad rush of people at the one time , and as for the traffic well it was just a free for all with traffic coming out of side roads here there and everywhere not at all well organised , not like it used to be years ago ..........

Took my toddler for the first ever time to see the lights seen I used to go when I was a child was so disappointed to see only a little bit of the lights due to most closed off due to Britney spears plus Blackpool was very unclean and smelt very dirty there was nothing for younger children to do plus we wanted to go on a special illumination tram which were not running and the normal trams were jam packed with staff forcing more and more people on which was so dangerous so in all I will not be returning to Blackpool. Was very disappointed the amount of money this place makes it needs to sort it out even if they just clean up and wash the horse urine smell away

To be fair the lights are always great but as for as the traffic control I wouldn't trust them to run a bath, working in the industry and working on many events I'm absolutely shocked at the way it was controlled, after 3 hours of queuing and only making as far as the Darlek roundabout we gave up, surely with the revenue generated from such an iconic attraction you would think they would spend some money and get it properly planned, just a thought but more cars through at a steady pace would bring in more money through the booths??? All in all badly organised

The lights are naff and the traffic is beyond appalling. ThereŌĆÖs an end of the road where traffic moves freely eventually so why has it taken 2 hours to get from the north start of the illuminations to the north pier??? Plus the town is a disgusting filthy dogs mess. Lancashire council get your act together. WonŌĆÖt be visiting again.

Spent a brilliant day on the pleasure beach and thought we'd drive though illuminations around 8.00

Didn't bother as traffic hadn't moved at all on our way back to car hardly an inch in our 20 min walk.

Such a shame we didn't see the lights and we obviously made the right choice to go home.

The organisers need to do something, instead off spoiling people's days out. These should be great memories for our kids not a massive traffic jam.

Over 3 hours sat in traffic. The traffic doesn't flow and from the beginning at the North end of the lights working down to the south pier it was an absolute joke. Whether it was because it was a saturday night I don't know. Its all about the children so you persevere until you turn around and see them flat out before you even get to the tower. So that's 3 hours in traffic staring at the arse end of a double decker coach for nothing. And then they have the cheek to ask for a ┬Ż3 minimum donation for being stuck in traffic and not really enjoying the experience and seeing very little. The organisers need to do something about the flow of traffic, it's an absolute joke. Next year we'll be walking through or tramming it. ’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐ Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į ’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’ ┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐ Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į ’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’ ┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐ Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į

I would like to tell you how wonderful they are, but unfortunately we had to abort our visit after sitting in traffic for 2.5 hours and not seeing much of anything except the passing trams and endless vehicles in front.

Don't bother to waste your time unless you enjoy sitting for hours in endless stationary traffic, adding to the air pollution and putting yourself at risk of getting a DVT.

You have been doing this for years Blackpool Council, but you are unable to organise a simple traffic flow system...sort it out.

Were never disappointed! We go every year it's Such good fun ! This year we stayed for 2 nights but if you're not staying I would recommend - for the best way to join in and appreciate the lights and the experience go early !, park up and get a tram or walk along the front !

Don't forget to buy you're light up hats /swords etc ! Mums ,Dads , Grandparents , Aunts & Uncles Aswel !! It's gotta be done ’┐Į!

There were dancers & music outside the tower before it lit up with a procession of the illuminated trams ’┐Į

Central pier has rides and a family bar with a great kids entertainer !

Travel all the way to bispham to see the really big lights ! Basil brush etc Yes they were there last year and the year before but it's amazing all the same ! It never gets old for me

See you next year ! Xx

First ever visit to Blackpool illuminations this year I absolutely loved every minute of it we decided to park up have day in fun Fare and walk up and down strip what a lovely day we had one of the best days out IŌĆÖve had I enjoyed it so much canŌĆÖt wait to come again next year. My only change next year will be to book a hotel and stay over for the full weekend. I wasnŌĆÖt disappointed one little bit I canŌĆÖt believe how lovely Blackpool what I thought it was going to be like. The organisers for this and everyone involved in putting up all the lights do Blackpool proud. Well done !

So firstly don't drive down the road you'll be stuck for hours instead I'd park up on a side street near the top end at Bispham and then walk down past all the large displays. It's much more enjoyable and you can all enjoy the lights.



Then depending on the age of your children walk down to the tower. We've got 3 kids aged 8, 5 and 22 months we took scooters for the 2 eldest and the baby was in the buggy and we scooted and walked down to the tower where they were projecting short films onto the Base of the tower. The kids loved the Tim Peake film however I think these were only for Sunday but check out the illuminations website.



We go every year on the weekend of the clocks going back. This year was one of the best. I have done the drive past the lights on one occasion and vowed never to do it again so I can understand the 1 star reviews from those who do.

Traffic was as others have said rammed. Had we stayed in the car it would have taken hours. So we parked up and walked from just before the pleasure beach to central pier then got the tram back. We ate at Mr Chippy beneath the big one which wasn't bad food at all and acceptably priced.

The main even, the illuminations started ok but then turned rubbish by south pier. The four year old enjoyed it which was the main thing.

My self and my daughter took the grandkids and my foster son, I remember 20 years ago I saw the lights at Blackpool and Blackpool it's self for the time and could not quite understand why people went? This time around I enjoyed it much better and the kids loved it, the town seamed cleaner but must admit even thou the light were new they where not as good as the old fashioned more colourful ones, and sadly only two lit up trams, people won't bright colourful old fashioned trams!! Bring back the old trams for the illuminations please!!’┐Į

Went oct 29th... I love Blackpool and usually walk through the lights . It was the first time in years that we drove through, due to weather and having grandkids with us..we drove to the start at north side and after a bit got stuck in traffic which eventually made us turn off well before the tower and not finish the lights..we wer disappointed as we're the children...we noticed the problem was traffic from the 'side roads pushing in causing gridlocks..it should be more organised to keep the traffic flowing...close the side roads so all the traffic goes one way through the lights...such a shame as it's put us off for next year. I'm sure it would not be hard to sort out xx

The illuminations in essence are very good but sitting in solid traffic for hours is no fun at all. Comes to something when the "best thing ever" for the little ones was winning some lolly pops and chews at the amusements! Started at Bispham but gave up shortly after Hilton. Chaos does not adequately describe the state of the traffic! Felt sorry for the kiddies - and their parents!

Sadly disappointed that the Illuminations Department are not moving with the times. More needs to be done for the little children so they will bring their own children in the future. The tableaus are a disgrace .....some of them were there when I was a child. Basil Brush, Sooty and those flipping teddy bears need to be pensioned off. You need more themed things on the lampposts like you used to do. My daughter came on an infant school visit when the Spring, Sumner, Autumn & Winter tableaus were made and she's 26yrs old. This event was the jewel in Blackpool's crown .....now other towns are surpassing you with their Xmas light displays. Get some new young blood in the Illuminations department and get things modernised please, for everyone's sake ’┐Į !!!!

What a complete joke! Queued for well over an hour on the A5230 to get onto the A584 due to "manual traffic light control". The people controlling the traffic were biased towards letting traffic from Lytham St Anne's onto the prom. Meanwhile everyone else in our queue was sat getting completely wound up. It's been over 10 years since I've been, and I wish I hadn't bothered coming back. We had a very fed up 8 year old in the car and it took all the fun out of it. Don't bother wasting your time and money.

Well I wish I could put less than 1 star. We were at the very beginning for 7.30 under the welcome to Blackpool flashing sign and by 9pm we had only just got to the pleasure beach. By this point my little girl was completely fed up and disappointed so we ended up turning round and going home. Surly with such an iconic even the organisers could put a little more thought into the flow of traffic. There was also loads of motorcycles going down the centre, this seemed to be planned as there were marshals every so often with them. Most definitely not the evening we had planned after driving over an hour to see these then you have the audacity to ask for a donation. I dont think so when I see more lights on my own house at Christmas.

We waited until 6:15pm till the lights came on and set off straight into the illuminations from the St Anne's end. We moved a total of 2 miles in 2 and half hours by car. I cannot understand why I took so long when we were literally one of the first cars through when the lights went on. We did it from the Cleveleys end last year, with a same if not worse experience. We have two little boys who have been thoroughly disappointed with what they've seen. Sort it out Blackpool!

We came 2 years ago and got 3/4 of the way through before I lost the will to live as traffic management was appalling. However I have so many good memories of the illuminations as a kid I thought weŌĆÖd try it again today as they mustŌĆÖve sorted the traffic issues out. Headed to south shore and joined where the bus station is......1 hour and 45 mins later we had only just got passed the big one (1 mile)The first set of lights sponsored by the company who set them up, the next set sponsored by a jeweller and the next set were so poor and old I think they mustŌĆÖve been used when I was there as a kid!!! The next lot of lights, we could see, looked very poor so we turned round just after the big one and headed back to south shore to get home. WonŌĆÖt ever be back for the lights........awful.

Took the 2 grandchildren to see the lights yesterday (Wednesday) after sitting and waiting patiently to see the lights they came on as was stated at 6pm but the tower did not light up till some considerable time later by which time we had long since gone passed the tower the children were so disappointed as that was the 1 thing they wanted to see as for the rest of the lights well they were very disappointing and they weren't really that good there were a few good ones at the very end but on the whole very disappointing kids were so upset . Pity they dont have them on for a longer period of time to enable people to see them better as there wouldnt be such a mad rush of people at the one time , and as for the traffic well it was just a free for all with traffic coming out of side roads here there and everywhere not at all well organised , not like it used to be years ago ..........

Took my toddler for the first ever time to see the lights seen I used to go when I was a child was so disappointed to see only a little bit of the lights due to most closed off due to Britney spears plus Blackpool was very unclean and smelt very dirty there was nothing for younger children to do plus we wanted to go on a special illumination tram which were not running and the normal trams were jam packed with staff forcing more and more people on which was so dangerous so in all I will not be returning to Blackpool. Was very disappointed the amount of money this place makes it needs to sort it out even if they just clean up and wash the horse urine smell away

To be fair the lights are always great but as for as the traffic control I wouldn't trust them to run a bath, working in the industry and working on many events I'm absolutely shocked at the way it was controlled, after 3 hours of queuing and only making as far as the Darlek roundabout we gave up, surely with the revenue generated from such an iconic attraction you would think they would spend some money and get it properly planned, just a thought but more cars through at a steady pace would bring in more money through the booths??? All in all badly organised

The lights are naff and the traffic is beyond appalling. ThereŌĆÖs an end of the road where traffic moves freely eventually so why has it taken 2 hours to get from the north start of the illuminations to the north pier??? Plus the town is a disgusting filthy dogs mess. Lancashire council get your act together. WonŌĆÖt be visiting again.

Spent a brilliant day on the pleasure beach and thought we'd drive though illuminations around 8.00

Didn't bother as traffic hadn't moved at all on our way back to car hardly an inch in our 20 min walk.

Such a shame we didn't see the lights and we obviously made the right choice to go home.

The organisers need to do something, instead off spoiling people's days out. These should be great memories for our kids not a massive traffic jam.

Over 3 hours sat in traffic. The traffic doesn't flow and from the beginning at the North end of the lights working down to the south pier it was an absolute joke. Whether it was because it was a saturday night I don't know. Its all about the children so you persevere until you turn around and see them flat out before you even get to the tower. So that's 3 hours in traffic staring at the arse end of a double decker coach for nothing. And then they have the cheek to ask for a ┬Ż3 minimum donation for being stuck in traffic and not really enjoying the experience and seeing very little. The organisers need to do something about the flow of traffic, it's an absolute joke. Next year we'll be walking through or tramming it. ’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐ Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į ’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’ ┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐ Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į ’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’ ┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐ Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į’┐Į

I would like to tell you how wonderful they are, but unfortunately we had to abort our visit after sitting in traffic for 2.5 hours and not seeing much of anything except the passing trams and endless vehicles in front.

Don't bother to waste your time unless you enjoy sitting for hours in endless stationary traffic, adding to the air pollution and putting yourself at risk of getting a DVT.

You have been doing this for years Blackpool Council, but you are unable to organise a simple traffic flow system...sort it out.