Value Breaks - Blackpool Illumination Season 2009

As the summer starts to fade during early September the seaside town of Blackpool steps up a gear for the annual Blackpool illuminations. This year the Blackpool Illuminations start on 4th September and run right through to the 8th November. Each year a well known celebrity takes on the task of switching on the lights with the honour this year going to comedian Alan Carr. Since winning the BBC New Comedy Award for Stand Up way back in 2001 Alan has become one of the hottest comedians in the Britain. Alan co hosts Channel 4´s The Saturday Night Project, he also hosts his own chat show Alan Carr´s Celebrity Ding Dong and recently we have launched his own chat show Chatty Man.

In many ways Alan is a great choice for the launch of the illumination season. He has an affinity with Blackpool or as he calls it the Las Vegas of the North. His father is a former manager of Blackpool ´ Football Club! It has been reported that he is so excited to be pressing the Big Button to Turn On Blackpool Illuminations

Blackpool Illuminations sees this seaside town of fun still packed with excitement long after other resorts have gone into winter hibernation. The illuminations stretch over 10 kilometres through the town and over 1,000,000 bulbs are used for the display.
Almost every kind of light display you can imagine is used for the illuminations such as lasers, neon, light bulbs, fibre optics, searchlights and floodlighting. Each year there are many new displays made from wood studded with light bulb. There are over 500 road features attached to lamp posts linked together with festive lighting. Strings of lights along the structure of buildings pick out landmarks in luminous detail – you can always make out the Tower and the Pleasure Beach rides in this way. Even Blackpool's trams get in on the act as many are converted to travelling displays.

The illumination season though is not just about the light displays. During this season all the summer attractions are still running and many extra shows on the piers and theatres are added so there is something for everybody. Young or old, rain or shine you will have a great time in Blackpool!

Blackpool stills offers great value for money and perhaps is one of the cheapest places in the UK. Amazingly you can still book quality hotels in peak season for less than £20 a night which usually also includes breakfast.

After the end of the illumination season Blackpool does take a short rest although thousands flood back to the town for Christmas and New Year season with many of the hotels still open during this period extremely busy.

Blackpool though is still busy most weekends throughout the year as it is packed with great bars and nightclubs. Thousands flood to Blackpool each weekend simply to savour the nightlife. Blackpool is also renowned for stag and hen parties with people from all over the UK choosing the town as their ideal spot for these types of parties.