In this BLOG we cover off some of the excellent events Blackpool plays host to each year (covid permitting of course!!). Many Blackpool events can be found across the town over the year, and in particular the Winter Gardens, hosts numerous events and conventions all year round so there’s bound to be something during the year that tickles your fancy! The list of events is ever being added to so make sure you check the Winter Gardens web site for the latest that they are hosting else visitblackpool is an excellent source of tourist information as its run directly and funded by the council.
So, without further a-do…. heres some of the recurring yearly highlights in Blackpool’s events calendar.
Blackpool Events – Blackpool Pride.
Like a lot of towns and cities across the world, Blackpool each year plays host to it’s thriving LGBT scene with a full weekend of festivities in celebration of the diversity of the town.
Although celebrations have a been somewhat muted over the past couple of years, you can expect the celebrations to bring in a host of internationally acclaimed stars to perform along with of course many of Blackpool’s resident drag artistes.
The weekend also hosts a parade with various floats usually traveling along the promenade along with the pride festival taking place on the festival headland opposite the tower.
Scheduled for this year from the 3rd to the 5th June, come a join the festivities! #loveislove
Blackpool (ish) Events – Fleetwood Festival of Transport aka Tram Sunday.
Ok, we know….. perhaps not located in Blackpool itself but given the heritage of Blackpool and it’s trams, Fleetwood Festival of Transport aka Tram Sunday, is one event which makes tram geeks ears prick up!!
Tram sunday is located just up the road from Blackpool in Fleetwood (you can even get a tram there from Blackpool!!) and is enjoyed by tram enthusiasts and others equally alike.
Numerous trams are out on display along with stalls, music cars and amusements to keep the whole family entertained for the day.
The event features ‘Spareparts’ – the UKs only travelling festival of art, performance and spectacle dedicated to transport, travel and motion.
SpareParts performances and artistic workshops for all ages take place throughout the day and are a joy to behold.
Tram Sunday this year is on 21st July so whether you drive, sail, get a tram or even walk there, its worth the trip for something a little different to experience!
Blackpool Events – World Fireworks Championship.
Each year the world fireworks championship is hosted in Blackpool and draws in a massive number of visitors. Set over 4 weeks, every Saturday (usually in September / October but dates change each year) a different country provides spectators with amazing displays of pyrotechnics before a final ‘showcase’ display by the company organising and the winner being declared.
2021 saw four countries take on each other for the title across 4 Saturdays:-
- Saturday 11th September 2021 – RUSSIA
- Saturday 25th September 2021 – IRELAND
- Saturday 9th October 2021 – GERMANY
- Saturday 23rd October 2021 – where the winner was announced – GERMANY
2022 dates……
For 2022, the stunning displays, which are set to music, will take place once again over the beach in front of The Blackpool Tower. All of them are free to access.
- Saturday 17 September
- Saturday 1 October
- Saturday 15 October
Given the displays do get mega busy, we’d recommend getting there very early and perhaps having something to eat / drink first? Get some inspiration for that from our ‘best family restaurants‘ BLOG.
Blackpool Events – The Blackpool Airshow
A major event in lots of peoples calendars takes place each year over a weekend in August. Following a 2 year break due to… hate to say it again….. covid restrictions… the airshow returns over the weekend of the 13 Aug 2022 – 14 Aug 2022 and will again see heads lift towards the skies in amazement as vintage and modern mix together to showcase all things aeronautical for the Blackpool airshow.
At the time of writing a full itinerary for the weekend hasn’t been released by the council but as soon as they do, we’ll update this page with details, else keep an eye on the Visit Blackpool website.
Blackpool events – Ride the lights
Once one of the little known events in the Blackpool calendar, it has now grown in popularity and attracts visitors from all over the county if not even further afield. Ride the lights is an opportunity for cyclists to take a leisurely cycle along the promenade to see the illuminations the weekend before they are opened for traffic.
Bring your ‘boring’ bike or ‘jazz it up’ with lights and music, the choice is yours… and if you’re not keen on cycling, how about a walk along to take in the sights and sounds of both the illuminations and try and spot some modified bikes you may not even think are bikes!!
Blackpool events – The Illuminations.
Needing little introduction…. (in fact…. much point us writing anything here??) the Blackpool Illuminations aka the greatest light show on earth, are a world famous spectacle, keeping the town alive with visitor when the sun has long since gone and temperatures are starting to fall!
The illuminations in Blackpool are fab, walking the whole route would take quite a long time but it’s a nice gentle bike ride on a still night (or better still, come to Blackpool on one of the ‘ride the lights’ nights mentioned earlier!).
The illuminations are a wonder to children, and lovely backdrops for photos and making family memories. The council have installed some features which encourage people to get out of their cars and do some walking with the aim that some money will be spent in the town on novelty impulse purchases or some food and drink……. so get out of you car and spend a few quid!!!
The larger off street displays / lights show which sometimes take a while to see from beginning to end, are worth taking the time to go and see, the light show against the tower building is fantastic, a display called ‘Brilliance,’ down a street in the town centre called Birley Street, adds music to the light show and in south shore, Venus reborn is….. well, a bit of an anti climax if we’re honest and was only partly working last time we checked.
The big tableaux displays north of the town are our personal favourites and well worth walking alongside, to do the illuminations best, follow our advice in our ‘stress free illuminations‘ blog.
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If you liked this BLOG, why dont you try one of our others such as ‘5 non mainstream things to do in Blackpool‘ or perhaps ‘6 best Free things to do in Blackpool’.
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