Blackpool Autumn Guide

BLACKPOOL visitblackpool.com

Autumn/Winter Destination Guide 2021

POWERED BY MAGIC

THERE’S MAGIC IN THE AIR Summer is coming to an end. Nights are drawing in. Temperatures are beginning to cool.

But, here in Blackpool, there’s a very warm welcome waiting for you!

Autumn marks a magical moment in the seaside capital of entertainment.

It’s the start of our spectacular Illuminations season and, for only the second time in their history, they’ll be lighting up the skies for four months instead of two.

It all starts on the night of Friday 3 September when the famous switch will be pulled at a special event in the illustrious Blackpool Tower Ballroom launching this year’s display.

The seafront Illuminations will then stay lit until January 3, 2022, providing an enchanting backdrop to everything that Blackpool has to offer.

Delight in our brilliant family attractions, free events, new restaurants, top-class shows, and extraordinary choice of accommodation to suit all pockets. ou can find out more in this special Destination Guide.

Join in the 125th anniversary celebrations at Blackpool Pleasure Beach; gaze in wonder at the magnificent Tower Ballroom after its £1m makeover; enjoy the mayhem and music of Nickelodeon SLIMEFEST; and immerse yourself in the two-week free-to-see Lightpool Festival.

From November onwards, experience a cracking Christmas Blackpool-style including the Friends Festive walk-through exhibition; a giant yuletide market in the Winter Gardens; and a stunning outdoor village incorporating ice rink, snowfalls and dazzling projection shows.

After a year like no other, this is your time to enjoy a resort like no other.

See you soon! visitblackpool.com 3

CONTENTS AT A GLANCE

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16-17

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ILLUMINATIONS

WINTER GARDENS

NOTARIANNI’S

Prepare to make some magical new memories surrounded by more than a million mesmerising lights.

Lights, camera, action. We’re razzle dazzle ready to put on top-class shows* that you’ll never forget.

Hit the delicious sweet spot with a visit to Blackpool’s legendary family-run ice cream parlour.

12-13

18-19

21-25

SLIMEFEST

BLACKPOOL ZOO

LIGHTPOOL FESTIVAL

Discover the madcap mixture of music, mischief, and mayhem that’s green, gooey, and great fun!

Feathery, furry, hairy, scary, scaly, cuddly, and cute, there’s lots of animal magic for everyone.

Get ready to be dazzled with our amazing free-to-see light-based art installation programme of events.

Blackpool’s Back Tourism Recovery Campaign is part-funded by:

*

Dream Girls image: Matt Crockett

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26-27

30-31

44-45

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

PLEASURE BEACH

GRAND THEATRE

Hot off the press. et the latest low-down on the exciting must-see new venues you’ll want to visit.

Get ready to buckle up and enjoy the thrills and spills at the UK’s most ride-intensive theme park.

Welcome back to the wonderful world of live theatre. There’s a special seat with your name on it.

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37-41

60-83

BOOK NOW FOR 2022

CHRISTMAS IN BLACKPOOL

ACCOMMODATION

It’s time to start planning your bucket (and spade) list. There’s a lot of shows to get excited about!

‘Ho, Ho, Ho!’ Celebrate the most magical of seasons in our breath-taking festive winter wonderland.

Check-out then check-in.

There’s a traditional seaside welcome waiting for you here in Blackpool.

All shows and events are subject to possible change.

Please check with venues or go to the visitblackpool.com website.

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Morecambe & Wise & Cannon & Ball & Sooty & Sweep & Punch & Judy & Smoke & Mirrors & Sea & Sand & Fish & Chips & Lights & Camera & Action There’s no town like Showtown! Come and experience Blackpool’s first museum of fun and entertainment.

Watch this space!

Web: showtownblackpool.co.uk | Email: info@showtownblackpool.co.uk Twitter: @ShowtownBPL | Facebook: /showtownblackpool | Instagram: /showtownBPL

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BLACKPOOL ILLUMINATIONS 3 September 2021 - 3 January 2022 Four-page guide starts here visitblackpool.com 7

BRING ON THE LIGHT! From out of the darkness shine more than a million magical bulbs, bathing the entire Promenade in a shimmering sea of light.

Each twinkling glow represents joy, optimism, and a promise of good times ahead.

For generations, children and adults alike have been entranced by the spellbinding seafront spectacle, lost in the wonder of a world transformed by a heart-warming and uplifting display.

To mark the welcome reopening of our tourism industry, we have extended this year’s glorious Illuminations season by two months for only

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the second time in their history.

This will see them running from September 3 right through to January 3, 2022.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience miles of festoon, tableaux, laser technology and stunning projection shows during the dark winter months.

Blackpool Illuminations. A kaleidoscope of colour. A thing of beauty spanning more than 140 years. There is nothing else on earth quite like them…

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New for 2021 Make sure to check out the re-imagined version of Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s Venus Reborn tableau at South Beach and an illuminated replica pitfire on ynn Roundabout.

There’s also a stunning new laser projection show on the front of The Blackpool Tower building. It has been created by Blackpoolborn international designer Jack Irving, who is best known for creating wildly theatrical outfits for Lady Gaga. Take your place on the Comedy Carpet directly opposite and enjoy the free-to-view spectacle.

The lights fantastic!

It’s more than 140 years ago since the pioneers of electrical lighting created the spectacle that was to become the worldfamous Blackpool Illuminations.

In those early days, it was just eight arc lamps that left visitors awe-struck by what they perceived to be artificial sunshine .

Interesting fact: The original lamps stopped working as the tide came in due to the water leaking into the cast iron wiring pipes on the seafront.

Thankfully more advanced technology was later introduced.

Fast forward to 2021 and there are now more than a million sparkling bulbs that bathe the entire Promenade in a sea of light – whether the tide is in or out!

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the Lights have lost none of that early magic.

Shining example Over the years, many towns and cities across the world have embraced the concept that was introduced to the world here in Blackpool.

Much as we admire them, nothing comes close to what we like to call the greatest free show on Earth!

Times might change, but the one constant is that down the ages,

For generations of families, a trip to Blackpool Illuminations is a rite of passage. It marks that transition between summer and winter, when long hot days are replaced by dusky nights with a chill in the air.

On with the show There’s nothing quite like an Illuminations Switch-On ceremony to ensure a starry night. ast guests who have flicked the switch have included the Top Gear cast, Robbie Williams, comedian Alan Carr, Shirley Bassey, director Tim Burton, Barbara Windsor and millennial pop groups Westlife and Steps.

Animals also have got in on the act - a rather impatient Red Rum did the honours in 1977… and Kermit the Frog leapt at the chance two years later!

2010 - Robbie Williams

Luminous landmark

World class

The Blackpool Tower is one of Britain’s best loved landmarks.

We know our Illuminations are the envy of the world and we have the proof!

Built in 1894 and standing an impressive 518 feet tall, it can be seen gracing our seaside skyline from miles away, especially at night when 25,000 eco-friendly LED lights add to its majesty.

Ex-Illuminations displays have been sold to countries around the globe.

They’ve dazzled in Barcelona and sparkled amidst the sun and sand of Saudi capital Jeddah.

All aglow It’s no secret that we have a love affair with illuminations here in Blackpool!

Six miles of jaw-dropping technicolour lights and tableaux showcase more than 500 designs and features with additional digital screens, neon lights and lasers helping create a kaleidoscope of colour.

Interesting fact: If you took all the festoon lights that are strung between the promenade poles and across the carriageway, they would stretch for 100 miles. The cable and wiring for the lights is even longer, spanning 200 miles! visitblackpool.com 11

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ARE YOU READY? The slimiest event of the year is back! Nickelodeon’s Slimefest returns to the Pleasure Beach Arena on 16, 17 and 18 October, in partnership with VisitBlackpool.

performances by Diversity, Kid Rain, Max and Harvey across all six shows, John Newman headlining the Monday shows and many more music acts to be announced.

Join Jordan and Perri and our brand-new hosts Max & Harvey and Holly H, as they bring fun, games, music and laughter to si slime-filled shows.

Tickets are going fast, so get booking for the full Nickelodeon Slimefest experience this October, you won’t want to miss it!

Prepare to be wowed by the star-studded line-up including

Tickets available NOW! From nickslimefest.co.uk

Photos from SLIMEFEST 2019

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Words can’t describe how exquisite The Blackpool Tower Ballroom looks following a £1million makeover. So, we won’t even try. Instead, we’ll let this photograph spark your imagination and urge you to go and see for yourself. The transformation was made possible thanks to funding from Historic England and Blackpool Council. visitblackpool.com 15

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Feathery, furry, scaly, slimy, hairy, cuddly, cute, or just plain scary… we’ve got lots of wonderful wildlife in our seaside resort.

If you love animals, you’ll love a day out at Blackpool Zoo. Our award-winning, family-friendly attraction, has more than 1,000 incredible creatures.

If you’re looking to have a fun-filled, fact-fuelled day, you can’t go wrong with fabulous Blackpool Zoo. You won’t believe what’s waiting for you.

Petrifying, prehistoric, animatronic dinosaurs for starters! The life-size models have pride of place in the newly-improved inosaur Safari.

Little ones can monkey around in one of the many play areas, including Orang-U-Tangle where children can climb, swing, and mimic the nearby apes. Or get up close with the

guinea pigs, goats, rabbits, ponies, and donkeys in the Children’s Farm.

And then of course, there are the animals. ou’ll find mammals, reptiles and birds of every shape, size, and colour from every corner of the globe at Blackpool Zoo. Get ready to go wild!

Entertainment and education Blackpool Zoo is one of the must-see attractions in Britain’s favourite seaside resort.

Often described as a hidden gem, the zoo provides a haven of peace, tranquillity and more than 1,000 animals in 37 acres of traditional, spacious parkland and lakes, as well as offering an educational yet fun day out for all the family, whether you’re nine months or 99 years old!

From aardvarks to zebras,

marmosets to giraffes, the residents come in all shapes and sizes. Learn

all there is to know about the animal kingdom as you explore the zoo, and with babies arriving year-round, there’s always something new to see.

Intrepid explorers welcome!

Your journey starts 230 million years ago as you enter Dinosaur Safari, home to eight animatronic dinosaurs. Come face-to-face with the terrifying tyrannosaurus rex, mighty marine reptiles, awesome pterodactyls and more than 30 other stunning prehistoric creatures.

These are all set around an erupting volcano, a lake with running streams and a living curtain of water. ound effects and thousands of authentic living plants and trees bring the prehistoric world vividly to life.

Project Elephant Base Camp, the largest indoor elephant

house in the UK, opened its doors in 2018. A huge outdoor space provides grass paddocks, a sand area, and a large, deep pool, all of which you can enjoy views of from raised and ground level walkways.

It offers the latest handling facilities to ensure the highest standards of care and welfare for its residents, a herd of six Asian elephants ranging from six to 50-years-old. The newest arrival to the herd, 28-year old male Emmett, joined us in 2019 with the hope of breeding in the future.

Come up close to fierce predators as you head down to the Big Cat House to see the Amur Tiger and father-and-son African lion duo, Wallace, and Khari, before standing tall at ira e ei hts Blackpool Zoo boasts the only family of gorillas in the North of England, so make your acquaintance with Bukavu, Miliki, Njema, Meisie, Moanda and baby Makari.

Next door, in Orangutan Outlook,, you’ll find a family of amazing and lively Bornean orangutans.

If you’re looking for something a little more serene, why not head to a quiet corner of the

your souvenirs in the gift shop on the way out!

zoo and appreciate some of the lesser-known animals such as the beautiful red pandas or fascinating anteaters.

Hungry for more?

Feeding time at the zoo is important so enjoy a tasty meal or snack from the Lakeview Café or newly themed BBQ Hut. Oh, and don’t forget to buy

There is usually a full schedule of talks, feeds and displays as well as walk-through exhibits such as Lemur Wood and Rainbow Landings. These are dependent on government guidelines and restrictions at the time of your visit, so please check the website before planning your visit.

Share your memories with your family and friends and keep up to date through the zoo’s social media channels.

Blackpool Zoo is open every day from 10.00 am. (except Christmas Day) Buy online to guarantee entry! blackpoolzoo.org.uk Blackpool Zoo East Park Drive, FY3 8PP T: 01253 830830 blackpoolzoo.org.uk E: info@blackpoolzoo.org.uk

Treats that bring unbridled joy whatever your age. Ice cream is way up on that wish list and especially if it’s by the seaside.

That first delicious taste of a silky smooth scoop instantly melts the heart and brings a smile to our faces.

How it all began…

ONE FAMILY, ONE FLAVOUR SINCE 1928

Add some raspberry sauce, a chunky chocolate flake or some rainbow sprinkles and life doesn’t get any better!

The Notarianni family have been serving ice cream in Blackpool for 4 generations. One family, one flavour since .

Their vanilla ice cream is made fresh every day from locallysourced ingredients to the same secretly guarded recipe that has been passed down through four generations of the family.

It is a long-held tradition that, even after 90 years, they have no intention of changing.

Which is exceptionally good news for all the loyal locals and visitors alike who return year after year!

9-11 Waterloo Rd FY4 1AF | notarianni.co.uk | 20 visitblackpool.com

Luigi Notarianni was born into a large family in a small village in southern Italy. At the beginning of the last century, it was a poverty-stricken area and many locals including Luigi and his wife essalina, left to find work abroad to be able to support their families.

Originally situated on Central Promenade, Notarianni’s Ice Cream Parlour was so popular that they decided to open a second on Waterloo Road in South Beach in 1937.

This is where the family still trade today.

The Second World War led to Luigi, being interned on the Isle of Man. It was impossible for his wife and her daughter to keep both shops running so eventually they closed the parlour on Central Promenade.

After the war ended Luigi once again returned to the business where third and fourth generations of his family still run Notarianni’s Ice Cream Parlour. @notarianniicesblackpool

LIGHTPOOL FESTIVAL 15-30 October 2021 Four-page guide starts here visitblackpool.com 21

SHINE A LIGHT! Blackpool’s award-winning Lightpool Festival is back with extraordinary free-to-see entertainment!

This amazing programme comprises 16 nights of pure exhilarating spectacle from October 15-30.

It will provide an intoxicating mix of light-based art installations, parades, lasers, stunning live performances, family-friendly activities, educational sessions, and 3D projection shows involving local, national, and international artists.

This year, the festival will also feature a town centre art trail which will see outdoor spaces and iconic buildings transformed by spectacular light works (including a number of world premieres) encouraging visitors to experience Blackpool’s magical Illuminations on foot and in a completely new and different way.

There is so much to see and do.

Take a memorable ride on one of our vintage illuminated trams; join us on a journey of discovery with the Moon Folk; meet Big Bird, a giant one-tonne pigeon; and the biggest mobile light exhibition you’ll ever set eyes on. Even your mutt can get involved with our Lumidogs workshop and parade!

Make a date to trip the light fantastic in Blackpool. You won’t regret it.

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Lightpool Festival partners:

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Prepare to be totally amazed.

Here are just some of the memorable moments you can enjoy in this year’s free-to-see fantastic Lightpool Festival…

Exponential Lightpool is entertaining and educational. An opportunity for self-reflection and discussion around our impact on the planet and society is part of the experience of Exponential which explores the power of group action through light and sound. It is a kaleidoscopic audio responsive installation with an immersive soundscape, surprise reflections and an everchanging swirling core.

Lumidogs

Leaded Lights Take a trip down memory lane with Leaded Lights, one of several standalone features celebrating decades of the glorious Illuminations.

Even your mutt can get involved in the free fun-for-all Lightpool Festival with our Lumidogs workshop and parade. You’ll work alongside a team of experts to create a bespoke illuminated costume for your dog before you trip the light fantastic.

Aqualux This stunning transportable light installation (pictured on pages 22 and 23) measures a whopping eight metres by three metres and comprises unfilled containers, which typically hold 1,000 litres of water each.

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That’s the amount the average person uses in their home each year compared to our great grandparents who used only three.

It is being driven around Blackpool by an illuminated oneof-a-kind Peterbilt American truck.

Big Bird

The Moon Folk

What’s 3.5 metres high and crafted from London taxis?

Big Bird of course!

The giant one-tonne pigeon sculpture was originally created for the Museum of London but will now be captivating audiences at Bickerstaffe uare.

Join us on a captivating journey of discovery as the Grade II listed former ost ce building on Abingdon Street is transformed with a stunning light projection experience.

Live Performance

Tram Parade

Our annual Lightpool Festival just wouldn’t be the same without a generous helping of the sort of live entertainment that Blackpool is famous for and is guaranteed to blow your imagination – and it is all free. For 2021, prepare to be amazed by the carnival magic of Global Grooves, an explosion of dance, music, colour and illuminated giant puppets performing in the magnificent Blackpool Tower Ballroom. This is an experience you do not want to miss.

Trust us, it’s a sight you’ll never forget Blackpool’s unique fleet of illuminated heritage trams travelling in convoy along the promenade.

What a glorious spectacle in an evening of celebrating light.

dark side of the moon, you can follow them as they run away and hide in the shadows trying to avoid the brightness.

What will they encounter on their intrepid adventure and will they ever find happiness and discover what

wonderful things light has to offer ou’ll be immersed in wonder as you discover the answers.

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This creative piece is influenced in its style by shadow puppetry and traditional carnival The five minute costumes. Flamboyant sequence features detail and elaborate a collection of lighting techniques charming fantasy create characters l.com/lightpo animals who live in a audiences of all ages o o ol kp c f monochromatic a e l st will adore with tb iv a simple and world and are si afraid of charming the light. story.

From the

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT! Dining out in Blackpool isn’t ust a out fish and chips (although, to be fair, we do them exceptionally well!).

If you want to explore, you’ll find a vast selection of places to eat whatever your taste or pocket. Whether it’s an award-winning dim-sum spread, a lavish tasting menu or an American-style burger, Blackpool’s food options are as diverse as the resort itself. ou’ll always find something to meet everyone’s taste.

If you don’t want to eat, chill out with a cold beer, cocktail, or glass of wine. There’s so much choice to whet your appetite. Cheers!

Here are some exciting places to check out in 2021.

The Old Victoria Located inside the iconic Winter Gardens Blackpool, The Old Victoria is a traditional British bar serving a wide range of drinks and classic tasty pub food.

Live entertainment takes place throughout the day, featuring some of the UK’s best cabaret artists ensuring a great atmosphere.

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Vintro Lounge Love lounging? Then this brand new café bar is the place for you! Situated opposite the Winter Gardens, Vintro Lounge is a home from home, offering delicious food and drinks – including cocktails all day, without any need for advance booking.

The place boasts a brilliant atmosphere, spectacular themed d cor, friendly staff, and lovely attention to detail such as board games, toys for little ones and even refreshments for your canine companion.

Apart from an extensive and varied menu that includes

gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and children’s options, Vintro has many great deals on offer including: Breakfast Club. To help get you up in the morning! Lounge or Veggie breakfast with a nice cup of tea or filter coffee, £7.97, Monday – Friday, until 12 noon.

Cheeky Mondays. Aimed at quashing those start-ofthe-week blues, you get a free drink or pudding with any special, main or burger, from 5pm.

Tapas Tuesday. Three tapas and a glass of wine for £10.95 from 5pm. Ay Caramba!

Beach House lready a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike the newly refurbished Beach House is a venue with surroundings like no other.

Set in Festival House, an iconic building on the promenade with breath-taking views of the Irish Sea, the bistro and bar is the perfect place to kick back whatever the weather.

The new-look, stylish interior provides a magnificent backdrop for any occasion. A warm welcome, unparalleled ambience, fresh wholesome food and extensive drinks menu, along with a simply stunning outdoor terrace will ensure your visit to Beach House is unforgettable.

Fino This year, you might not be off to sunny pain, but you can get a taste of it at Fino in Blackpool.

Situated in the former Bella Italia on Church Street, this brand new modern tapas restaurant is just a short walk from attractions including The Blackpool Tower, Winter Gardens and Grand Theatre.

It promises authentic, quality Spanish cuisine with style and ambience to match. The joy of tapas is in sharing different plates and flavours and enjoying them with friends and family.

For more information on dining out in Blackpool go to: visitblackpool.com visitblackpool.com 27

IT’S SHOWTIME!

Lights, camera, action… after more than a year of stop-start uncertainty in the world of theatre, Blackpool is razzle-dazzle ready to put on a show again.

Whether you’re looking for a large-scale musical extravaganza, laugh-out-loud comedy, live performance to make your heart soar, or a spectacle of dance that will have your toes tapping, there’s a seat waiting for you.

One-of-a-kind shows are very much part of the resort e perience. ou’ll find something for everyone in Blackpool. Here is just a small selection of what’s on offer.

Come on… it’s time to look forward to 2022!

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Tuesday 15 February Prepare yourself for royalty!

Join the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race including UK season two finalists Tayce, Bimini Bon Boulash, Ellie Diamond and Laurence Chaney for an evening of extravaganza but, expect the unexpected. Ticket options include the opportunity to enjoy a private meet and greet with the queens before the show.

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Rock Of Ages Monday 21 March – Saturday 26 March

You loved them for a reason. ow, for the first time, you can see this sensational new musical and relive one of the world’s biggest ever boybands.

The show tells the o cial story from Jay Osmond about the five brothers from tah who were pushed into the spotlight as children and went on to create smash hits decade after decade. Get a ticket for a night of drama, nostalgia, and dancing in the aisles.

The smash-hit musical is back, and the party is going to be BIGGER than ever! This hilarious musical comedy is lavished with more than 25 classic rock anthems including Don’t Stop Believin’; We Built This City; The Final Countdown; Wanted Dead Or Alive; Here I Go Again; Can’t Fight This Feeling; and I Want To Know What Love Is - all played loud and proud by an awesome live band.

The Cher Show Tuesday 31 May – Saturday 4 June

The Osmonds – A New Musical Tuesday 29 March – Friday 2 April

Six decades of stardom. Over a hundred million records sold. Legend and icon. She is Cher and this is her show.

Goddess warrior of pop turned Hollywood royalty, the Grammy, Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe awardwinning queen of re-invention has conquered it all and this fiercely fabulous musical honours her incredible life.

You’ll be spinning in the aisles

WINTER GARDENS BLACKPOOL to the sounds of her biggest hits, including The Shoop Shoop Song, I Got You Babe, Turn Back Time, Strong Enough and Believe.

Let your soul sing with this dazzling multi-award winning show which will be coming to Blackpool direct from the West End. The spectacular production and unforgettable, spine-tingling classic songs include And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going, Listen, I Am Changing and One Night Only are guaranteed to send audiences wild.

Dream Girls image: Matt Crockett

Dream Girls The Musical Tuesday 25 October – Saturday 5 November

THE GRAND THEATRE Bring It On The Musical Tuesday 22 February – Saturday 26 February Amber Davies and Louis Smith are ready to bring it on as the smash-hit Broadway musical backflips into Blackpool.

Jersey Boys Tuesday 16 August – Saturday 27 August This stage sensation is coming to Blackpool for the very first time. The smash-hit musical has won 65 major awards and has been seen by over 27 million people worldwide. The Olivier Award-winning, original Broadway show goes behind the music and tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons from the streets of New Jersey to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

Magic of Mowtown

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ’Em Tuesday 10 May – Saturday 14 May

Strictly Ballroom The Musical Saturday 21 November – Friday 26 November Starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Kevin Clifton with direction from dancer, choreographer, theatre director and Britain’s favourite TV Judge, Craig Revel Horwood, this spectacle brings together a cast of more than 20 world-class performers. It features numbers such as Love Is In The Air, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps and Time After Time, as well as several wonderful new songs by internationallyacclaimed artists.

Some shows may be subject to change due to any COVID restrictions in place at the time. Please check the wintergardensblackpool.co.uk and blackpoolgrand.co.uk website for regular updates.

Hilarious mishaps and DIY disasters are bringing the house down as Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em hits the road with the inimitable Joe Pasquale as Frank Spencer.

Magic of Motown Saturday 12 June Come and celebrate with us as we start a chain reaction to take you on a musical journey with the biggest party of the year to celebrate the Magic of Motown Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever Saturday 16 July – Sunday 17 July Peppa Pig is excited to be going on a special day out with George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig and it’s going to be her best day ever! visitblackpool.com 29

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The World Fireworks Championship returns for autumn 2021 with new dates and a new launchpad. The stunning displays will take place over the beach in front of The Blackpool Tower on alternate Saturday evenings starting on September 11 and continuing on September 25, October 9 and October 23. Check the visitblackpool.com website for start times.

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CHRISTMAS IN BLACKPOOL 5 November 2021 – 3 January 2022 Four-page guide starts here visitblackpool.com 37

‘Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Tra-la-la-la-la-lalalala Come to Blackpool and be jolly, Tra-la-la-la-la-lalalala!’

Christmas – it’s the season to be merry and bright and here in the nation’s favourite family (and elf) friendly resort, we’re ready to help you savour every special second.

Celebrate this captivating time of year with a host of things to see and do.

There’s our world-famous Illuminations; an indoor

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Bavarian-style Christmas market; a stunning Christmas village complete with skating rink; traditional pantomimes; spectacular shows; and, for the first time outside of London, FriendsFestive celebrating all the best seasonal moments from the popular TV show.

Take the little ones to visit Santa Claus in his picture-perfect grotto at Blackpool Pleasure

Beach; make a wish under the giant glittering Christmas tree in St John’s Square; shop for last-minute gifts in our festive themed shops; then end the day drinking warmed mulled wine in a beachside bar.

There’s even special parking offers on Blackpool Council car parks during November and December.

So this Christmas, make every magical moment count in Blackpool. It’s the perfect place for an all-ages advent adventure.

Check out the visitblackpool.com website for timings and booking details.

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Christmas By The Sea

Celebrate the most magical time of the year with us here in Blackpool. This is just a taste of what promises to be a spectacular festive season running through November and December (check out the visitblackpool.com website for timings and booking details).

Our Tower Festival Headland will be transformed into a breath-taking festive village. We don’t think you’ll find anywhere more enchanting with free outdoor skating rink, simulated snowfalls, log cabins, magical forest, festive light projection shows and Santa Special tram rides in the shadow of the magnificent Blackpool Tower – wow!

Tower Festival Headland 19 November – 3 January

Light spectacular Come and marvel at the most mesmerising Christmas light displays you’ll find anywhere this side of the North Pole. More than a million twinkling lamps make Blackpool Illuminations the greatest free show imaginable. Six miles of spectacular seafront and town centre lights extended by two months as our gift to you!

3 September - 3 January Winter Gardens Wonderland Why not pay a visit to our beautiful traditional Bavarian-style Christmas market inside the aptlynamed Winter Gardens. Stroll around a wide selection of themed stalls, enjoy all the fun of the fair on the rides, meet Santa in his grotto, and get in the swing of things with some brilliant live entertainment.

Winter Gardens | 9 December - 3 January 40 visitblackpool.com

Christmas Grotto

The best of Friends!

Celebrate the greatest seasonal moments from arguably the world’s favourite TV show at FriendsFestive.

Recreate the titles with a digital snow globe photo op; check out Monica’s apartment

and Central Perk, both all dressed for the holiday season; and visit the Holiday Armadillo’s Grotto.

Ring Phoebe’s bell outside the mall; re-enact the iconic Thanksgiving floating

Pantomime Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs Hi-ho, hi-ho it’s off to The Grand Theatre you should go for this wonderful adaptation of this traditional fairy story.

Grand Theatre 3 December 2 January Aladdin A boy and his lamp and a host of exciting adventures. One of the most magical tales ever written.

heads scene and add to that themed food stalls, Christmas cocktails and exclusive new FriendsFestive merchandise.

Winter Gardens 5 - 19 November

Visit Santa Claus in his picture-perfect grotto then warm up with a delicious mug of hot chocolate!

Blackpool Pleasure Beach | 20 November – 24 December

Show time Gatsby Christmas Dinner Show The most glamorous Christmas dinner show you’ll experience!

Blackpool Pleasure Beach | 3 -18 December Christmas Party Spectacular Music packed, party-themed nights of fun.

Viva | 2 - 24 December Hairspray The Musical It’s not panto, but it is rip-roaring fun. Let your hair down and be sure not to miss this irresistible feel-good show that will have you smiling for days.

Opera House | 13 December – 2 January

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THANK YOU Providing the Greatest Free Light Show on Earth for over 140 years

Access Fylde Coast

Thanks to the generous support of our commercial sponsors and public donations, the world famous Blackpool Illuminations continues to attract and entertain millions of visitors each year.

Barclaycard

With all monies raised going straight into Lightworks, the team continues to innovate and rejuvenate the displays, ensuring the 6 mile long display remains one of the most popular attractions in Blackpool.

This season we would like to say a huge thank you to our sponsors and invite you to help where you can by donating what you can, online at visitblackpool.com/donate

Affinity Lancashire Beaverbrooks the Jeweller Better Start City Fibre Comedy Station Comedy Club Coral Island Fox Brothers Fylde Coast Women’s Aid Hangar 42 Visitor Centre Hikvision Houndshill Shopping Centre Nickelodeon Northern Rail Partingtons Holiday Parks Sooty White Ribbon

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PROUD SPONSORS OF BLACKPOOL ILLUMINATIONS

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