I spent the morning where the Blackpool Illuminations are done

As the days get shorter and the air gets fresher, there’s one thing people in the North West know it’s time for – a trip to see the Blackpool Illuminations. The world-famous light show signals the end of summer and the arrival of fall, but it’s an event that everyone looks forward to every year.

Whether you’re taking the kids or simply looking to relive your own childhood memories, the dazzling display is a magical spectacle at our favorite seaside resort. We were lucky enough to be invited to a press event for the launch of this year’s illuminations at the Lightworks facility, where all the magic happens. Here, we saw some of the new installations, including chandeliers, a Spitfire Island and a Disco Donkey Cavalcade – more on these later.

Tucked away near Blackpool Airport, the Lightworks warehouse is a hive of activity, with workers busy designing, crafting and bringing these incredible lights to life. Even though I was there for the big reveal of this year’s show, just being in the room where it all comes together was a thrill in itself.

Looking at the displays taking shape in the rooms and floors above, it’s impossible not to be transported back to childhood trips to the illuminations – the excitement of getting fish and chips for tea, the challenge of finding a parking space on a busy night and pure wonder to stand in the middle of such spectacular art, reports LancsLive.

One of the most striking installations this year is a nostalgic nod to childhood trips to Blackpool. The new display, titled Disco Donkey Cavalcade, was created by Illuminations creative curator Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen. It features 12 donkeys in 70s-inspired bathing suits on a 16-metre platform beneath a giant ice cream and disco ball.

While it’s still not the largest ice cream sculpture, with the addition of a giant cherry, it should claim the record. The facility will be located just south of the Comedy Carpet. TV star Leigh Francis, also known as Keith Lemon, contributed to this year’s show. His painting includes a 12-metre tall dinosaur, a spaceship, an astronaut, an airborne BMX bike and an image of Leigh himself flying towards the Tower.

New additions for 2024 include the Chandelier Causeway, featuring stunning LED chandeliers and strobe lighting. Spitfire Island is another new feature, marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings with replica Spitfires on Gynn Roundabout. The kick-off event is scheduled for August 30, with the lighting season extending through January 5.