1st September 2023 - 7th January 2024

Blackpool Illuminations Brilliance

Brilliance

What is Brilliance?

Brilliance was a festival of light and fire. It has now morphed into Lightpool

Blackpool Illuminations Briliance image by Coast Cafe Bar

Blackpool´s famous ´Brilliance´ arches on Birley Street in the town centre will play host to a month of outdoor performance and live music throughout October as part of the LightPool programme. Five weekends will see the street transformed into an outdoor stage with a programme designed to delight and excite for all the family.


Friday 2 and Saturday 3 October Strictly Night Cycling

6pm & 8pm 

An outdoor dance performance on bikes, Strictly Night Cycling, will start the events.

Thursday 8 October National Poetry

On Thursday 8 October, a set of acclaimed poets will read their literary works out over the arches speaker system, as part of National Poetry Day.

Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October As the World Tipped

6pm & 8pm 

An amazing piece of aerial acrobatics will then return to Blackpool on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October. The Wired Aerial Theatre group will bring their suspended skills back to Blackpool after wowing the crowds with the ´As the World Tipped´ display at Blackpool Cricket Club last year.



Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October Circus Street!

6pm & 8pm 

Amazing circus performers and street artists perform to live music under Brilliance´s spectacular light show. Artists include Acrojou who blend acrobatics, hand-built structures and sublime visuals, to create unique circus experiences for everyone.

Both nights will also see the return of Impossible Theatre´s LightWeight installation which intrigued audiences on Birley Street last Friday evening. LightWeight is a 360° projection globe that invites audiences to have their picture mapped into live animations swarming around the globe alongside movies, audio, graphic effects, pictures, text and even tweets.


Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October The Umbrella Project

7pm & 9pm 

Be part of the Illuminations! The Umbrella Project allows you to join a parade with specially created illuminated umbrellas by Cirque Bijou that will take you from the seafront to Brilliance to be part of an amazing art installation. The whole event will be filmed live and made in to a short film to be shown on the LightPool´s website. Become an Illumination!

Blackpool Illuminations Briliance - Illuminated Drummers

Friday 30 October Brilliance Sessions 

3pm 8pm

An array of musical talent will fill Birley Street with live music and excitement. Local performers, some who have previously played at the Blackpool iFest Switch-On, will make the perfect start to the two days of Brilliance Sessions. Groups and solo artists will cover a mixture of genres, there will definitely be a song or two you´ll be swaying to! This FREE event will see artists include KIINGS, James Edgar, Ash Parkinson, Fugitive Orchestra, Louise Spiteri, Stacey McClean and April Keen.

Saturday 31 October Brilliance Sessions

3pm-8pm

Escape the tricks of Halloween and enjoy the treats of day two of the Brilliance Sessions. Ending the October bill of Brilliance events, the biggest has definitely been saved to last. A jam packed line up of activities and events will fill the street for something for everyone. Visually stunning angle grinders, fire breathers, LED Dancers and Stilt Walkers will accompany circus acts, urban free runners, break dancers and much more. Make sure not to miss graffiti artists performing live and get papped in our photo booth. DJs will take us on a musical journey along with fun music vibes with our very own saxophonist!