Blackpool is gearing up for the return of the hugely-popular Ride The Lights event.
The free event, which takes place on Tuesday 31 August between 7pm and 10pm, is one of the most magical nights in the Blackpool’s calendar.
For one night only, the six miles of Promenade will be closed to give thousands of cyclists an opportunity to get a sneak preview of the Illuminations before the official switch-on three days later.
Bikes of all shapes and sizes can take advantage of the traffic-free route in a free event that is suitable for all ages. Cyclists are welcome to decorate their bikes with colourful lights and lanterns to add to the atmosphere!
This year, Blackpool Airport is hosting a park and ride scheme where people will be able to park their cars for a £2 fee and then cycle to the start of the Illuminations a short distance away at Starr Gate.
COVID Safety Measures
To help us create a safe and enjoyable event for everyone, participants are asked to take note of the following COVID-19 precautions.
The Illuminations will be officially switched on three days later by Shirley Ballas, head judge on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing at the end of a special concert in The Blackpool Tower Ballroom. The concert can be watched on a live stream starting at 8pm on September 3 on the visitblackpool.com website.
VisitBlackpool has already announced that this year’s Illuminations season will be extended by two months, running through to January 3, 2022.
Over that four-month period there will be a huge range of events and attractions to enjoy including World Fireworks Championship Blackpool, Nickelodeon’s SLIMEFEST and the fortnight-long Lightpool Festival.
From November onwards, there will be a brand new Christmas In Blackpool programme starting with the FriendsFestive exhibition in the Winter Gardens and continuing with a giant yuletide market and a seafront Christmas village incorporating ice rink, snowfalls and dazzling projection shows.
Check out the visitblackpool.com website for start times and more details of Ride The Lights and World Fireworks Championship Blackpool, and more information on the full September to December events programme.