Strictly Come Dancing stars to open Christmas by the Sea in Blackpool

The grand opening of Christmas by the Sea is tomorrow and hints that Strictly Come Dancing may be sprinkling its glittery charm over the proceedings have now been confirmed.

Earlier this week, in a press release about the opening, Blackpool Council mysteriously wrote “there is every chance of a guest appearance or two as the dancers prepare for their Saturday show!”

Now removing all secrecy, the council have confirmed that four Strictly professional dancers, Carlos Gu, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu and Neil Jones, will officially open this year’s Christmas By The Sea village on the eve of the much-anticipated return of Strictly to the world-famous Tower Ballroom.

What else can we expect from the grand opening?

Starting at around 5pm, the opening event will also feature the children from the Blackpool Ice Drome Charities Association (BIDCA) who will perform a routine taken from their forthcoming Christmas Ice Show, Snow White: A Fairytale Adventure On Ice.

Scriptwriter and co-director, Simon Davies, said: “The characters andscenes from the classic story are all there: The dwarfs, the EvilQueen, the poisoned apple, the diamond mine, the spooky magic mirror,and Snow White herself. But this, being BIDCA, means we’ve added a lotof fun extra touches, scenes and unexpected music choices – and wecan’t wait to give people a taste of the show at the Christmas By The Sea opening night”.

The skaters will be joined for a second year running by youngsters from Scream Theatres School who will take to the stage with a lively mix of musical theatre and festive medleys,bringing a taste of holiday magic to the opening event.

A Scream spokesperson said: “This will be a high-energy performancepromising an unforgettable experience for the whole family whileshining a spotlight on Blackpool’s incredible young talent.”

What can we expect from Christmas By The Sea this year?

This year Christmas By The Sea will feature a free skating rink at the heart of a collection of themed family attractions, including exciting newrides like theSnow Dome Waltzer, helter skelter and German SwingGrill, and the return of the thrilling Star Flyer, which at 196fttall, is one of Europe’s tallest swing rides.

There will also be food and drink huts, snowfalls, projection shows, light installations, and festive tram rides.

Christmas By The Sea 2024 is then the biggest to date as there are extended opening hours for the free rink, which will be open every day between noon and 9.00pm until January 5, 2025 (barring Christmas Day).

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “Christmas By The Sea is one of the most popular events in our calendar, attracting visitors from far and wide who come to enjoy a unique Christmas experience. “Many of the attractions including the rink, projection shows, snowfalls and light installations will again be free to access, giving families the chance to enjoy a truly magical and memorable Christmas.”

The staging of the village is in association with Blackpool Council,Blackpool Transport and Triangle Attractions. This year, Blackpool Transport will be unveiling a very special themed tram, with detail sto follow soon.