Blackpool Dance festival celebrates its 99th year

The world-renowned Blackpool Dance Festival finished on Friday 30th May after 14 days of sequins, sambas and stunning dance competitions across Ballroom and Latin American categories at the iconic Winter Gardens.  The festival, in its 99^th year, is one of the region's most significant cultural and economic contributors.

Welcoming over 25,000 visitors annually, it generates over £6 million for the local economy, making it one of the largest single contributor to Blackpool's £1.7 billion tourism industry. From 17^th-30^th May the event has showcased more than 3,000 dances performed by 4,600 competitors from 51 countries worldwide.

Natalie Hayes, the Festival’s organiser, said: “It has been an incredible festival, the venue has been filled with glamour, sequins and sporting excellence bringing together the world's finest dancers while significantly boosting local businesses throughout the celebration."

The Winter Gardens Complex, spanning almost 5 acres, provides a fitting backdrop for this prestigious competition. Its crowning jewel, the Empress Ballroom – with a floor area of 12,500 square feet - has been complemented since 2023 by an exact replica practice floor fitted in the new Conference & Exhibition Centre, demonstrating the organisers' commitment to providing world-class facilities for competitors during the festival.

The replica floor has seen hundreds of practice hours completed before competing couples head downstairs to take their place on the Empress Ballroom dancefloor. During the festival over 145 hours of dancing took place, many accompanied by a live orchestra, carefully timed by the iconic ballroom clock.

Natalie continues: “Blackpool Dance Festival showcases the town and the ballroom’s rich history and magnificence to the world. The event continues to strengthen Blackpool's position as a premier destination for both domestic and international tourism.”

Preparations are already underway for the centenary celebrations in 2026.