All set for Blackpool Illuminations switch-on tonight - Friday September 1 - with Sophie Ellis Bextor

Who’s switching on the lights?

Sophie Ellis-Bextor will perform on the Tower Festival Headland before pulling the switch to trigger four months of Illuminations.

Sophie shot to fame as a vocalist on Spiller’s huge number one single, ‘Groovejet’ and her worldwide hit, ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’.

With several albums to her name, the singer appeared on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage this summer.

Her guest appearance will be the finale of a spectacular night.

What else is happening?

The stars of Nickelodeon, the world’s favourite children’s TV channel, will take over the Golden Mile for a float parade.

Starting from Central Pier, the parade will feature larger-than-life characters from SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, Baby Shark, Monsters High and Transformers.

They will be joined by around 100 dancers, musicians and street performers as they make their way to the Tower Festival Headland for a free family party including live music and entertainment leading up to the special moment when a guest celebrity will switch on the famous lights, triggering the start of a four-month Illuminations season.

That will be followed by a specially-commissioned sound and light show on The Blackpool Tower that will be synchronised with LED wristbands to be given out to spectators, and then topped off with a fireworks finale over the seafront.

Among the performers in the grand parade will be Lancashire’s own 2nd Rossendale Scout Group Band, a talented group of young musicians who have performed all over the UK, including an appearance at Windsor Castle in front of the Queen.

What time is taking place?

The build-up will commence from 7pm, with the float parade scheduled to start around 7.30pm, and the main celebrations on the Tower Festival Headland will take place between approximately 8pm and 9.30pm

Times could be subject to change so check for updates on the www.visitblackpool.com website).

What do organisers say?

Coun Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “This will be a wonderful way to mark the end of the school summer holidays and to mark the start of our extended autumn Illuminations season.

“The Switch-On ceremony has always had a very special place in the Blackpool events calendar and this year promises to be a glorious night of free family entertainment.”

What else can you expect from the Illuminations?

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Illuminations would once again be extended by two months, running nightly until January 1, 2024.

Following the launch of the giant Odyssey installation during 2022, the Illuminations manufacturing team are working on three brand new, large-scale light installations for the coming season, two of them designed by internationally-renowned artists, the other a tribute to the iconic Spitfire aircraft.