Blackpool's Illuminations season to be extended for a third consecutive year

Next year’s Illuminations season will now start on Friday, September 2, 2022 and run until Monday, January 2, 2023.

Blackpool Council said it had made the decision after the first month of this year’s extension showed exceptional growth in visitor numbers.

Although the Illuminations were extended for the first time in history last year, the final part of the year was heavily disrupted by Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns.

Coun Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council, said: “This year, for the first time, we have been able to have a clear run and assess what impact the extension of the Illuminations is having on those months that are traditionally quiet.

“What we have witnessed over the first four weeks of November has been very significant activity across the resort and significantly better than our expectations.

“The introduction of a greatly-enhanced Christmas offer to complement the extended Illuminations season has added further weight to the argument that with the right product, Blackpool is extremely well-placed to become a year-round destination.”

The extension of the Illuminations season was first introduced last year to give the resort’s tourism industry an added boost after the pandemic created severe disruption over the first few months of the year.

Coun Williams added: “We are making this decision early so that our businesses can start to plan for the extended season next year. We know from the extensive feedback we have received to date that the investment we have made in the autumn and winter months is delivering a significant benefit.”

This year has seen Blackpool’s most ambitious winter offer with a Christmas By The Sea village on the Tower Festival Headland with a free-to-use skating rink, magic forest, log cabins, artificial snowfalls, light installations and themed projection shows.

Alongside the village is the Star Flyer, Europe’s largest aerial ride and a short distance away is the Winter Gardens Wonderland with indoor and outdoor festive market stalls, virtual reality experiences, and funfair rides.

The Christmas programme is complemented by the extended Illuminations season which sees the famous lights shining every night until January 3.

There will also be a celebratory fireworks display that will take place late afternoon on the Tower Festival Headland on New Year’s Eve.

Parts of the Christmas season and fireworks display are weather-dependent. Check out the visitblackpool.com website for updates.