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Blackpool Illuminations
Blackpool Illuminations is an annual festival founded in 1879 which is held each autumn in the town. The festival runs annually for sixty six days, spanning from late August until early November The amazing array of lights run for six miles and are believed to use over one million light bulbs. The display stretches along the Promenade from Starr Gate at the southern end of the town to Bispham. Find out about this years festival by visiting our Events Page. Originally described as Artificial sunshine the first display consisted of just twelve Arc lamps which gleemed along the Promenade. The first display which showed any resemblece to todays was held in May 1912 to mark the first British Royal family visit to Blackpool when Princess Louise opened a new section of the Promenade, know today as Princess Parade. The Promenade was decorated with what was said be described as festoons of garland lamps using about 10,000 light bulbs. The event was such a success, that in 1913 the council asked to stage the Illuminations as an end of season event. 
Sadly, with the outbreak of the first world war, there were no additional displays until 1925 when the illuminations returned in full glory. Another break in the annual event occurred during the second world war, but again resumed in peaceful times. Every year the opening night of the Illuminations, “The Big Switch On” is held in a specially erected arena with a celebrity taking the honour of flicking the switch The first switch on ceremony was held in 1934 when Lord Derby took on this task. In 1993 BBC Radio 1 first broadcast the switch on ceremony live when Status Quo were the guest celebrities. In more recent years, BBC Radio 2 have hosted the event with a pre-switch on concert featuring bands, singers and comedians. 
The full list of celebrities who have taken on the tasking of illuminating Blackpool are detailed below:
1934 Lord Derby |
1950 Wilfred Pickles 
1959 Jayne Mansfield