You surely can’t visit the Fylde in autumn/early winter without a visit to the illuminations. Cheesy. Traditional. Or actually, something that Blackpool should be proud of? Let’s see. The illuminations are on from the end of August to the beginning of January. This extends the usual British seaside season for the town.
Blackpool Illuminations are the first, therefore oldest, in the world. It was nothing like the display that you see today. They were on display before Thomas Edison patented the light bulb. All the way back in 1879.
In 1912, the first visit of a member of the royal family to Blackpool was the beginning of the modern illuminations. Princess Louise came to open a new section of the promenade and the town erected 10,000 lights to decorate the promenade. It was so impressive that the council requested the town recreate the display in the September. The success of that resulted in an end of season event the following year. The outbreak of the great war the following year meant there were no further displays.
In 1925, the illuminations were back and extended beyond the original setting. By 1932, the illuminations included the series of tableaux running along to North Bispham. 1939 saw the illuminations paused again for the Second World War. Due to the austerity following the Second World War, it was another ten years before the illuminations reappeared.
Over the years they have changed and developed, with the lights extended to reach the current length of six miles. That’s right. Six miles! I find it traumatic enough to put fairy lights on the Christmas tree. Never mind taking them down and storing them. I can’t begin to imagine how much space is needed to store the Blackpool Illuminations. Given the legendary gusty winds in Blackpool, the installation must be quite a challenge.
I’ve done the illuminations many times over nearly 40 years. I think the best and least stressful way to see the full display is to catch a tram from Bispham and stay on until Star Gate, then you can enjoy the full length without the crowds. Driving through them can be quite slow at peak times and, while they are free, there are charity collectors along the route in small huts and walking around. I do sometimes wonder about the legitimacy of some of the collectors so if you did want to donate, stop at one of the donation huts rather than anywhere else. The tram is only £3.50, but if you fancy spending a bit more, you can book an Illuminations tour tram, which is in the shape of a boat or train and completely decorated with lights.
Once you get into the town, you can hop off and take a wander around (if you purchase a tram day pass you can do this, but be aware than on a standard tram ticket you only have an hour before it is invalid). There are three piers to stroll around. North Pier is where you find the comedy carpet, a vast collection of comedic catchphrases from comedians and comedy shows dating back decades. In recent years from the end of November, this is also where you’ll find Christmas by the Sea, a Christmas market with stalls and rides, and even an ice skating rink.
If you have been before years ago and found the illuminations looked a bit tired, they have had a bit of an upgrade, although lights I recall seeing years ago are still used too. There are new lights sculptures around Central Pier which will fascinate younger family members.
The atmosphere is very jolly and noisy. Plenty of young families are taking in the display and enjoying the lights. On foot, the stretches of lights are easy to negotiate with frequently changing themes. Everyone seems to be having a fun time. Pubs are open, but we didn’t see any trouble.
So, if Strictly Come Dancing can enjoy a renewed popularity and make Blackpool Tower a key venue, maybe it’s time to embrace another good old British tradition. It’s free, it’s fun and it’s a step into history and being the first in the world, it’s a proud piece of history.
