Ride the lights is back

Blackpool is preparing for one of the most magical nights in its calendar when, for one night only, the six miles of Promenade will be closed to give cyclists a sneak preview of this year’s Illuminations.

Ride The Lights will take place on the night of Tuesday 29 August – three days before the Illuminations are officially switched on by one of the UK’s best-loved singing stars, Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Bikes of all shapes and sizes can take advantage of the seafront route in a free family event that is suitable for all ages. The Promenade will be closed to traffic from 6.30pm until 10.30pm with the Ride The Lights event starting at 7pm and finishing at 10pm.

Cyclists can participate at any time during that period and are recommended to join the event at either the Starr Gate or Red Bank Road gateways to the promenade. Overspill parking will be available at a pop-up car park at Blackpool Airport.

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “Ride The Lights is an amazing event that is unique to Blackpool. Where else can you ride a bike in a traffic-free environment under a million shimmering lights!

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to come to Blackpool and enjoy one of the most enduring tourist attractions in the land.”

Full details and safety information can be found here: www.visitblackpool.com/ridethelights

Ride The Lights marks the start of the build-up to the Illuminations season which has again been extended by two months, ending on Monday 1 January, 2024.

On Wednesday 30 August, Trinity Hospice will stage its annual Night Run, starting on the Tower Festival Headland opposite the Blackpool Tower. Full details at www.trinityhospice.co.uk

Then, on Friday 1 September, it’s the biggest night in Blackpool’s events calendar – the annual Illuminations Switch-On celebration.

This year’s event comprises a spectacular programme of free entertainment which will start with a colourful float parade featuring the stars of Nickelodeon, the world’s favourite children’s TV channel.

Starting from Central Pier, the parade will feature larger-than-life characters from SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, Baby Shark, Monsters High and Transformers.

They will be joined by around 100 dancers, musicians and street performers as they make their way to the Tower Festival Headland for a free family party including live music and entertainment leading up to the special moment when Sophie will switch on the famous lights.

That will be followed by a specially-commissioned sound and light show on The Blackpool Tower that will be synchronised with LED wristbands to be given out to spectators, and then topped off with a fireworks finale.

The whole event will be free to access with no tickets required.

The build-up will commence from 7pm, with the float parade scheduled to start around 7.30pm. The main celebrations on the Tower Festival Headland will take place between approximately 8pm and 9.30pm (Note: Times could be subject to change so check for updates on the www.visitblackpool.com website).

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Illuminations would once again be extended by two months, running nightly until January 1, 2024.

Following the launch of the giant Odyssey installation during 2022, this year’s display will feature brand new, large-scale light installations for the coming season, two of them designed by internationally-renowned artists, the other a tribute to the iconic Spitfire aircraft.

And don’t forget, we’ve still got all this to look forward to so save the dates in your diary:

World Fireworks Championship Blackpool

Watch the Blackpool night skies light up with three brilliant firework displays synced to music as teams from across the world battle it out. Three countries will participate in the free event, which will take place on Saturday 16 and Saturday 30 September, and on Friday 20 October.

Lightpool Festival

The award-winning Lightpool Festival returns with an amazing free-to-see programme of light installations, 3D projection shows, art trails, and stunning live performances from October 20-28.

Christmas By The Sea

The Tower Festival Headland will be turned into an outdoor winter wonderland with skating rink, magic forest, snowfalls, log cabins and festive projection shows. We will be unwrapping our plans for the 2023 Christmas season in the coming weeks.