30th August - 4th November 2013
Blackpool Illuminations 2013 Switch On Show
2013 will mark the 101st year since the Blackpool Illuminations first started. Jonathan ´Wossy´ Ross will have the honour of Switching on the 2013 Blackpool Illuminations on the 30th of August. For those of you who don´ know who Jonathan Ross is, where have you been for the last 25 years? Wossy started his TV career in front of the camera on It Ain´t Half Hot, Mum in 1981. He has developed his presenting and comedy skills over the years with shows such as The Last Resort, They Think it´ All Over, Comic Relief, and most famously Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. Blackpool Illuminations Switch On Show in 2013 will be a different Switch On show. In fact it´s not just one night it´s a whole weekend!
LATEST NEWS!
The famous illuminations switch on concert has made national news this year after The Script had to cancel their appearance at the last minute. With only 48 hours notice, it has been a huge challenge for Blackpool to find a replacement. It is with great pleasure that we can now announce that Gary Barlow will be appearing as the headline act for the 2013 switch on concert. Take That star, Gary Barlow, is set to bring Blackpool Illuminations alive with an amazing show and tickets are currently on sale for this event. Plus singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle will be the special guest. Don’t miss the opportunity to book while tickets are still available for the concert of the year which is likely to sell out quickly!
The other BIG change will be that getting tickets for the show will no longer be a lottery. They will be on sale on Friday 5th July 2013 at 9:00am via the link below:
On Saturday 31st August there will be a SECOND concert on the Tower Festival Headland. This show will be performed by Madness. This is sure to be an amazing concert in great venue with the sea to the West and the Blackpool Illuminations and Blackpool Tower providing the surroundings.
A special discounted ´2 day Switch On Weekend´ ticket is available for Gary Barlow, Eliza Doolitte and Johnathan Ross (who will actually switch on the Illuminations) on Friday and Madness on Saturday night.
2012 was a momentous year for the UK. With the Queens Diamond jubilee, the 2012 London Olympics and the centenary of the Blackpool Illuminations.
That year the people having the honour of switching on the Illuminations are 6 of Team GB´s medal winners. Beth Tweddle, Karina Bryant, Luke Campbell, Sophie Hosking, Max Whitlock and Steven Burke threw the switch together on the Festival Headland in the shadow of Blackpool Tower.
Gymnast Beth Tweddle from Liverpool secured a bronze medal on the uneven bars at the Olympics – making her the most decorated British gymnast in history.
Karina Bryant who won a bronze medal in judo.
Amateur boxer, from Hull, 24 year old Luke Campbell won gold in Boxing´s bantamweight division.
Sophie Hosking, won the gold medal for the lightweight double sculls.
Max Whitlock, was a member of Britain´s gymnastics team, where he helped the team claim a bronze medal at the team final.
Steven Burke who won a Cycling gold medal in the Team Pursuit.
In 2012 the switch on show will be very different. First it will be on the promenade in front of Blackpool Tower, second people attending the switch on will be able not just to see Blackpool Tower in lights but also the promenade. The switch on will be an all ticket event and these tickets will be free to apply for with 50% going to Blackpool residents.
X-Factor-winning girl band Little Mix will headline at the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On on Friday 31 August. They will be joined by Amy MacDonald, Noisettes, Paloma Faith, Scouting for Girls, Lemar, Lawson, Blackpool born Karima Francis, boyband Loveable Rogues, girl group Vanquish, The Overtones, and 80´s legend Rick Astley in a party that marks 100 years of Blackpool illuminations.
Little Mix
The four piece girl band that won the 2011 X-Factor competition becoming the first group to win. Their first album is due out very soon and they are sure to sing songs from their Wings album.
Rick Astley
During the late 80´ Rick shot to world success with ´Never Gonna Give You Up´ from legendary production team Stock Aitken Waterman. The record went on to top the charts in 24 countries. Rick went on to have 13 top 30 hits.
Noisettes
Indie Rock Band from London. Albums include Whats the time Mr Wolf?, Wild Young Hearts amd their new 2012 album Contact.
Paloma Faith
She is an amazing vocalist having hits such as ´Stone Cold Sober´,´Upside Down´, ´New York´, ´Picking up Pieces´, and ´30 Minute Love Affair´ and her new album Fall to Grace.
Scouting for Girls
The three piece band from London who have had hits such as ´She´s so Lovely´, ´Famous´, ´Love How it Hurst´, and albums ´Scouting for Girls´, and ´Everybody wants to be on TV´.
Lemar
Soul and R&B singer. Hit fame on the talent show Fame Academy in which he finished third. Since the show he has gone from strength to strength having 7 top ten hits and selling over 2 million albums. His latest album was released in August called ´Invincible´ is sue to feature in his Blackpool Illumination Switch On performance.
Amy MacDonald
Amy rose to fame in 2007 with her first album ´This is Life´ from which the title single went to number one in six different countries. Since then she has released 2 more albums ´A Curious Thing´, and ´Life in a Beautiful Light´.
Lawson
Formerly known as ´The Grove´ are relatively newcomers having had two top five singles in 2012. ´When she was Mine´ and ´Talking Over Me´. They are due to have their first album released in late 2012.
Karima Francis
Karima Francis is a Blackpool-born singer-songwriter. The second album, The Remedy, was released in August 2012.