4th September - 9th November 2009

Blackpool Illuminations 2009 Switch On Show

The Blackpool Illuminations Switch On concert Line Up has been announced and what a great line up it is.

2009 sees the switch on ceremony performed in the car park behind the Sea Life Centre for the last time and what a historic event it will be. I say event as this year its not just a concert to celebrate the switch on. Blackpool Council have pulled out all the stops and created a magnificent Weekend of events.

Alan Carr - BBC Radio 2 - Switch on Illuminations

The concert is a free event on the Friday afternoon and into the evening, no tickets are required but it is a first come first served event, so be early to get a good position. Gates open at 4pm with the concert starting at 6pm. The pre switch on concert will be hosted by Kate Thornton and she will be joined by X-Factor finalists JLS, Madness, Paloma Faith, Blackpool´ own Pixie Lott and Tony Christie - it will be great to see the huge crowd sing ´ On the Way to Amarillo ´

2009 sees Blackpool Council really pull out the stops with a whole weekend of events. During the build up to the Big Switch On Weekend Alan Carr and BBC Radio 2 co presenter Emma Forbes will be live from 6pm to 8pm on an Illuminated Tram running up and down the promenade. Alan is believed to be intending to dress up ina sailor costume to keep with nortical theme. On Friday evening Chris Evens will present his BBC Radio 2 Drive Time show from the top of Blackpool Tower!

Emma Forbes- Blackpool Illuminated Trams

Friday Night is Music Night - Anton Du Berk presents an extravaganza of Swing, the worlds longest running live music show live from Blackpool´ Opera House from 7pm to 8:30pm on the Friday Switch On Night. The show will not only feature the BBC Big Band but also Tony Christie and Paloma Faith who will hot foot it from the Switch On concert.

On Saturday a star studded concert will be performed in the Winter Gardens Empress Ballroom more details on this concert are yet to be announced.

Over the Big Switch On Weekend some of the other great events include:

  • Honda Goldwing Light Parade - hundreds of Illuminated Honda Goldwings in procession along the promenade
  • Illumathon - 1500 ladies in a midnight charity walk of the Illuminations
  • World Fireworks Championship - On Sunday evening the start of the International Fireworks Competition

    • English Volleyball Beach Tour - Saturday and Sunday on St Chad´s headland sees the English Beach Volleyball Tour Championship take place.

2008 saw a great show with Scouting for Girls, David Jordan, Mama´s gun performing in the big switch on concert. After a great build up to the actual switch on the star guests stepped on stage to perform. The star performers at 2008's show was Boyzone! Then the Top Gear Team, stepped out. I say team but as you will see from the 2009 Top Gear special James May lived up to his reputation at being 'Captain Slow', he failed to make it to Blackpool in time for the switch on. According to Jeremy Clarkson for once the Hampster (Richard Hammond) actually won the race. By all accounts it was a brilliant show.

So how can Blackpool top that for 2009? Well we cant say what Blackpool Council´s Illuminations Team are planning but you can bet it will be an absolutely fantastic Switch On concert and Switch On ceremony for 2009

I think you will agree that Blackpool Council have really beaten 2008´s line up by a huge margin!