Lightpool Festival 2024

Lightpool Festival 2024 is Blackpool’s annual celebration of light! Enjoy free-to-see entertainment and a whole load of fun!

Enjoy an amazing programme of light-based art installations, lasers, stunning live performances, family-friendly activities, and 3D projection shows.

FREE Lightpool Festival 2024

SAVE THE DATE! October half-term, 18-26 October 2024

• Visit light-based art installations,
• enjoy 3D projection shows,
• spectate or take part in parades,
• watch lasers and stunning live performances,
• take part in family friendly activities,
• learn a lot at educational sessions,
• marvel at local, national and international artists…
• and much more! (including the Illuminated Tram Parade!)

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Things to see at Lightpool Festival 2023

Blackpool’s award-winning Lightpool Festival during October half-term2023 was bigger, bolder and brighter than ever!

The 2023 Festival of Light included world premieres and installations never before seen in the UK, including artworks from Australia, France, the Netherlands and Spain. It once again attracted a large number of residents as well as visitors from across the country.

The art trail featured larger-than-life jellyfish; a field of fireflies alongside the Cenotaph; a giant ball of wool made up of neon yarn on the roof of the Blackpool Church; and an exclusive preview of designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s first digital installation. The Blackpool Tower building saw an alien-like “invasion” with giant tentacles seemingly breaking through the ballroom roof. The Tower Ballroom also hosted a performance of Carnival Magic with giant illuminated puppets played out to a capacity audience. Never seen this event before? It’s a good one!

On Blackpool seafront, look out for…

• A giant light cloud of love on the Tower Festival Headland made up of discarded plastic bottles, 1000 light pixels, which illuminates in the pattern of your heartbeat.
• Giant inflatable tentacles taking over the roof of the Blackpool Tower Building
• TWO brand new projections on the Tower Building.
• 100 Fireflies will appear at either side of the Cenotaph to mark 100 years of being unveiled
• Be mesmerised by Medusae – three 16ft tall jellyfish immersed in a sea of colours and light

From relatively small beginnings, Lightpool Festival has grown into one of the most exciting light festivals in the UK. This year’s programme is bigger, bolder and more imaginative than anything that we have staged previously. Thanks to ongoing support from the Arts Council who have recognised the significance of what is being delivered here in Blackpool.

At Lightpool Festival 2023 –

Plus don’t forget this all happens at the same time…

• The world-famous Blackpool Illuminations,
• Week three of the World Fireworks Championship Blackpool
• And the seafront festival village at Tower Headland opposite The Blackpool Tower.

Art Trail

Every year, Lightpool Festival offers a fantastic free Art Trail suitable for all ages. This self-guided tour transforms outdoor spaces and iconic buildings with spectacular light works.

We went to take a look at one of the huge 2021 installations, on a glorious October day –

World Fireworks Championship Blackpool – Fri 20 October

Fireworks will light up the skies during Lightpool Festival, firing at 8:30pm (weather dependent). More about the World Firework Championships here.

Funding Boost for Lightpool

Have you seen the fabulous news? A funding boost for Lightpool at Blackpool Illuminations was announced in later 2022, as it becomes an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) for the first time. And the designation comes with funding of almost £700k over the next three years!

A grant of £225k a year began in April 2023. This will allow the Illuminations team to develop the work of Lightpool, the award-winning light art festival held each October. It’s part of a £43.5m investment in Levelling Up by the Arts Council. Around 900 organisations are named within the new national portfolio.

Find out more about this funding boost here