Blackpool Promenade to close for Ride The Lights ahead of Illuminations switch-on - what you need to know
What you need to know ahead of next week’s events.
Blackpool is preparing for one of the most magical nights in its calendar as the town’s six-mile Promenade closes for traffic to give cyclists a sneak preview of this year’s Illuminations.
Ride The Lights will take place on Tuesday 1 September, three days before the Illuminations are officially switched on by BBC Radio 2’s Paddy McGuinness.
The free family event is open to cyclists of all ages and bikes of all shapes and sizes. The Promenade will be closed to traffic from 6pm until 10.30pm, with Ride The Lights running from 7pm to 10pm. Cyclists can take part at any point during the event and are recommended to join the route through either the Starr Gate or Red Bank Road gateways to the Promenade.
New Illuminations features
Participants will be among the first to see some of the new features included in this year’s display.
Light of Life by PJ Crook MBE brings together a series of paintings that explore timeless human experiences, connecting stories from the past with issues that remain relevant today. Drawing on themes from history, mythology, religion and everyday life, PJ Crook's work reflects on subjects including migration, conflict, climate change, family and human ambition.
Lollies in Love with Light brings together three fantastic collections from celebrated artist Chila Kumari Burman MBE. The 26-metre-wide animated tableau is a stunning kaleidoscopic celebration of Blackpool, featuring around 760 metres of LED neon lighting and a technicolour ice cream van at its centre.
Artemis is an immersive display showcases incredible high-definition imagery captured by NASA's Artemis mission aboard the Orion spacecraft. The iconic spacemen figures have been carefully repainted and transformed to represent the Artemis crew, bringing this exciting new era of space exploration to life.
Flower Shower transforms an everyday object into a striking illuminated artwork. Clusters of glowing umbrellas ascend elegant steel structures, creating the impression of flowers in bloom or a shower of light drifting skyward.
Further new features will join the display from Friday 4 September, including Wishing Star – Step into the inspiring world of Wishing Star, a heartwarming story of courage, resilience and self-discovery from acclaimed performer Toyah Willcox.
Ride The Lights marks the beginning of the build-up to Blackpool’s Illuminations season, which runs until 3 November.
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Events throughout the Illuminations season
Friday 4 September will see the annual Illuminations Switch-On celebration, described as the biggest night in Blackpool’s events calendar. The season will then continue with a programme of free events, including the World Fireworks Championship Blackpool.
The Blackpool night skies will light up with three firework displays synchronised to music as teams from across the world compete. Three countries will participate in the free events, which will take place on Saturday 12 September, Saturday 26 September and Saturday 10 October. Competitors will be announced shortly.
The award-winning Lightpool Festival will also return from 21 to 31 October, with a free-to-see programme featuring light installations, 3D projection shows, art trails and live performances.
The festive season will then arrive with Christmas By The Sea, when the Tower Festival Headland will be transformed into an outdoor winter wonderland. It opens on 21 November and runs through to 3 January 2026.
For more information on Blackpool’s FREE event programme, head to visitblackpool.com.