Blackpool Illuminations Hotel 2026
The greatest free light show in the world is back. The Blackpool Illuminations switch on Friday 4th September 2026 and run every evening until 3rd January 2027. Stay with Waterside Hotels and you are right on the promenade, with the tram stop at the door and the display stretching in both directions outside.
Book direct for our best rate, a free room upgrade, a free bottle of prosecco on arrival and free use of our pools and leisure facilities. These benefits are not available on Booking.com or Expedia.
switch on!
The Big
Friday 4th September 2026. The moment Blackpool comes alive for another season. Paddy McGuinness switches on over a million bulbs stretching five miles along the Promenade, with live performances from Lucy Spraggan, The Feeling and Five before the big moment at 9.15pm. Gates open at 4pm on the Tower Festival Headland.
The switch-on weekend is the busiest of the entire season. Rooms at both Waterside Hotels properties sell out early. Book direct now to secure yours at our best rate.
Hotels oN
The Promenade
Waterside Hotels gives you the choice of two seafront properties, both perfectly placed for the Illuminations.
The Doric Hotel sits on Queens Promenade on the quieter North Shore, with the tram stop directly outside. Live entertainment every evening, two swimming pools, a poolside bar and spacious family rooms. Ideal for families and couples wanting the full Blackpool experience.
Park House Hotel is on the South Shore Promenade, close to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, right at the heart of the Illuminations display. Great value seafront stays with entertainment, flexible room types and a strong reputation for groups and special occasions.
Both hotels. Both on the promenade. Both with direct booking benefits you will not find on any OTA.
on Earth
The Greatest Show
The Blackpool Illuminations has been delighting visitors since 1879. Over a million bulbs stretch more than five miles along the Promenade from Starr Gate to Red Bank Road, switching on every evening from September
through to the new year. The display is completely free to experience along the full length of the Promenade, and the Blackpool tram runs the entire route, stopping directly outside both Waterside Hotels properties.
The 2026 season runs from Friday 4th September 2026 to Sunday 3rd January 2027, with the nightly switch-on time getting earlier through September and October as the evenings draw in.
Illuminations 2026 at a glance:
Switch-on:
Friday 4th September 2026, 9.15pm
Season end:
Sunday 3rd January 2027
Display length:
Over five miles, Starr Gate to Red Bank Road
Tram:
Stops directly outside both Waterside Hotels
Entry:
Free along the full Promenade
Tram:
Stops directly outside both Waterside Hotels
Entry:
Free along the full Promenade
Midweek tip: the display is identical every night.
Coming Sunday to Thursday means quieter promenades, shorter tram queues and better room availability at both hotels.
