30th August - 4th November 2013
Blackpool Illuminations 2013 Details
Switch on Celebrities
Who will switch on the 2013 Illuminations?
Today Wednesday 10th July 2013 there has been an announcement!! Jonathan Ross will throw the switch to Illuminate Blackpool. 
The 2013 Switch On show will actually be a Switch On 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!
Singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle will be the special guest. Her album, Eliza Doolittle produced two UK top forty hits, "Skinny Genes" and "Pack Up", which debuted within the top five on the UK Singles Chart
The really big news is that the Switch On show will not be a lottery! You will be able to buy tickets!! But not until Friday 5th July at 9:00am.
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. With their massive back catalogue of hits, the big question is what will they be playing?
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. This 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 will throw 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.
Greg Rutherford became the first Briton to win Olympic gold in the long jump, jumping 8.31 meters, since 1964.
Karina Bryant who won a bronze medal in judo.
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.
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, boy band Loveable Rogues, girl group Vanquish, The Overtones, and 80´s legend Rick Astley in a party that marks 100 years of Blackpool illuminations.
For the first time, the event will be held at The Tower Festival Headland. 20,000 free tickets will be allocated at random to those who apply, with 50% reserved for households in Blackpool.
Each year Blackpool and Real/Smooth Radio announce the name of the mystery celebrity who will be flicking the famous switch to mark the start of the 2012 Blackpool Illuminations.
So who will be switching on what will be a truly historic 2012 switch on?
In 2011 it was Keith Lemon, in 2010 it was Robbie Williams, in 2009 it was ´The Chatty Man´ Alan Carr, so who will it be for 2012?
Previous celebrity switch on stars have included:
- 2000 Westlife & Radio Two
- 2001 Steps & Radio Two
- 2002 Ronan Keating & Radio Two
- 2003 Blue & Radio Two
- 2004 Geri Halliwell & Radio Two
- 2005 Chris Evans & Radio Two
- 2006 Dale Winton & Radio Two
- 2007 BBC Dr Who - David Tennant & Radio Two
- 2008 BBC Top Gear Team & Radio Two
- 2009 Alan Carr & Radio Two
- 2010 Robbie Williams & Smooth/Real Radio
- 2011 Keith Lemon & Smooth/Real Radio
- 2012 Olympic medal winners - Beth Tweddle, Greg Rutherford and Luke Campbell & Smooth/Real Radio
The free concert during which the guest will throw the switch marks the start of Blackpool's Big Switch On Weekend. We hope that thousands of fans of the celebrity, and of Blackpool, will join us in the celebrations and that they stay to enjoy all the free events Blackpool will be hosting throughout the weekend and indeed during the Illuminations Season.