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- In an attempt to extend the tourist season, local businessmen and the town council decided to experiment with newly developed electric lighting to attract new, out-of-season visitors to the town. The first rather modest light display was switched on in 1879 when the council devoted a sum of £5,000 to the Blackpool Illuminations experiment.
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The first Illuminations were put in place in Blackpool in 1879. The council dedicated £5,000 to experiment with the idea of electric street lighting and their first lights were 60ft arc lamps along the seafront.
- 1879
- 1912
- 1925
- 1950s Onwards
- Today
The first set of Illuminations were introduced when Blackpool Council devoted the sum of £5000 to experiment with the concept of electric street lighting, starting off with eight arc lamps on 60ft poles along the seafront. In a time when residents were lighting their homes with candles, this installation left the public in wonderment, calling them ...
The closest to our modern day Illumination displays first appeared in May 1912 to commemorate Blackpool’s very first royal visit as Princess Louise opened the new section of promenade named after her – Princess Parade. The Illuminations became immensely popular, with thousands of people visiting the resort to see the promenade decorated with around...
The Illuminations returned in 1925 bigger and better than ever before, with lights stretching several miles along the Promenade from Manchester Square to Cocker Square. By 1929 all three of the piers were also illuminated, creating a dazzling show. Another new feature was a huge animated tableau added to the display along the cliffs. However, the I...
Since the 1950s there have been no further interruptions in the Illuminations, meaning they have continued to light up the town, never waning in popularity. Each year of the light display is different, with new and favourite lights being maintained and developed. Many famous names have travelled to Blackpool over the years to commemorate the beginn...
The Blackpool Illuminations now attract more than three million visitors to the resort each year, with many travelling across the UK to see the lights running between the end of August to the beginning of November. The 2020 display marked the first time the Blackpool Illuminations were lit throughout the festive season – starting on 4 September 202...
Aug 29, 2023 · Blackpool Council spent a significant amount of cash - some £5,000 - on an experiment to install electric street lighting. The eight arc lamps on 60ft poles along the seaside resort's seafront were later dubbed "artificial sunshine". The event ended up preceding Thomas Edison's invention of the electric lightbulb which came a year later.
Aug 26, 2023 · Curious about the history of Blackpool Illuminations and how they came to be? They’re as much a part of Blackpool as sticks of rock and The Tower! Our famous Lights all began with just one row of eight arc lamps on 60ft high poles along the seafront, known as ‘artificial sunshine’.
Sep 13, 2020 · In a time when residents were lighting their homes with candles, the first set of Illuminations was introduced in 1879 when Blackpool Council devoted the sum of £5000 to experiment with the concept of electric street lighting, starting off with eight arc lamps on 60ft poles along the seafront.
- Catherine Mackinlay
Oct 17, 2023 · Blackpool became one of the first towns in the world to have electric street lighting, using eight arc lamps known as “artificial sunshine.” This was a monumental achievement, setting the town apart and attracting curiosity from far and wide. Blackpool Illuminations representing Local Transport – Kyle.
In 1879 it was the first town in Britain and the world to have electric street lighting. Also, Blackpool was one of the first towns in the world to install electric trams . The first electric tramway appeared here in 1885 and they are still running on the 11 miles track along the Promenade today.