Peter Kay To Switch On Blackpool Illuminations
Britain's best-loved comedian, Peter Kay, is to switch on this year's Blackpool Illuminations.
The full line-up for the Friday night Switch-On concert is now complete with chart toppers Little Mix headlining the star-studded show with a live performance full of their biggest hits.
The Guinness World Record Breaking comedian, who currently holds the record for the biggest live stand-up comedy tour on the planet, has been a lifelong aficionado of Blackpool since he was a child.
Peter’s first ever stand-up comedy DVD was recorded in Blackpool ‘Live At The Top Of The Tower’, and catapulted him into becoming one of the most successful comedians of all time. Peter will proudly flick the switch to launch the 2014 Blackpool Illuminations season on Friday 29 August. Peter will grace the stage after a performance from Little Mix.
The UK’s best girl band were catapulted into the limelight as the winners of X Factor in 2011 and since then have topped the charts in the UK and America, selling almost 2 million albums worldwide. The four-piece will have just completed a UK arena tour when they entertain the crowds for Blackpool’s biggest weekend of the year.
Little Mix will also be joined by Texas who are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album in 1989. Fast forward to 2014 and the band have sold an astonishing amount of records and tickets to live shows – over 30 million albums worldwide with a succession of multi-platinum releases.
The Friday night Switch-On, which is being staged in association with media partner Rock FM, marks the start of a three-day festival of entertainment on the Tower Festival Headland; the West End themed Saturday night will be headlined by Thriller Live and the Sunday night concert will be headlined by Rebecca Ferguson.
Early bird tickets for the entire festival weekend are priced at just £20 for adults, £10 per child, with the first 5,000 purchasers guaranteed a wristband for the FREE Friday night Switch-On event.
Cllr Graham Cain, Cabinet Member for Tourism and Leisure at Blackpool Council, said: "Having Peter Kay as this year's Switch-On star is a major coup for Blackpool.
"Peter is the most successful comedy act in this country over the past 20 years and has a long association with Blackpool. We are thrilled that he will be joining the Switch-On hall of fame.
“I am also delighted to announce that Little Mix will headline the Friday night concert. They received rave reviews when they played to a sell-out crowd at the Winter Gardens recently and I’m sure this news will delight fans.
“Our Switch on line-up is now complete and it promises to be a fantastic night to launch the 2014 illuminations season.
“There really is something for all the family on offer throughout the weekend so I would urge people to get their tickets and applications for Friday night places in now!”
Little Mix and Texas join a list of other chart topping acts already confirmed to perform:
Boy band Union J headlined their own tour last year after finishing fourth in the X Factor final in 2012.
Pixie Lott has twice topped the singles charts. She supported Rihanna and The Saturdays on their UK tours and has a new album out in August.
Neon Jungle have charted in both this country and America. They supported Jessie J on her UK tour, and performed at the Victoria Secret Fashion show in America.
George Ezra played the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury last summer and his latest song “Budapest” is currently receiving extensive air play.
They join a weekend line-up which already includes Thriller Live, Dirty Dancing, Chicago, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert and excerpts from The Jersey Boys on the Saturday night, as well as Atomic Kitten, Liberty X, 911 and Damage on the Sunday night.
Entrance to this year’s FREE Friday night Switch-On will be strictly wristband only and there will be no wristbands available on the day. Wristbands will be allocated at random through an on-line ballot with a maximum of four wristbands per household. A total of 6,000 of these will be allocated to applicants from the Blackpool area.
Wristband registration closes at 12 noon on Wednesday 23 July 2014 and successful applicants will be notified on Tuesday 29 July 2014. To register, go to www.visitblackpool.com/switchon
Ticket details for the Switch-On Festival Weekend are as follows:
Early bird offer – up to 23rd July 2014
- Adult weekend 2 night tickets (Saturday & Sunday) at £20.00 per person and £10.00 per child (U14)
- Weekend family ticket (Saturday & Sunday) for 2 adults and 2 children (U14) £50.00
- Single nights (Saturday or Sunday only) at £12.50 per person and £7.50 per child (U14)
- Single night (Saturday or Sunday only) family of 2 adults and 2 children (U14) £35.00
23rd July Onwards
- Adult weekend 2 night ticket (Saturday & Sunday) £25.00 per adult and £12.50 per child (U14)
- Weekend family ticket (Saturday & Sunday) for 2 adults and 2 children (U14) £65.00
- Single nights (Saturday or Sunday only) £15.00 per adult and £ 10.00 per child (U14)
- Single night (Saturday or Sunday only) family of 2 adults and 2 children (U14) £45.00
Tickets can be purchased from the following places:Ticketmaster from 9.00am Friday 30th May 2014 Tel: 0844 277 0700 W: www.ticketmaster.co.uk
See Tickets from 9.00am Monday 2nd June 2014 Tel: 0844 871 8819 W: www.seetickets.com
VisitBlackpool Tourist Information Centre, Festival House, Promenade, Blackpool Tel: 01253 478225 or go to www.visitblackpool.com
VIP Hospitality will also be available for the Switch-On Festival Weekend provided by The Sands located opposite the Switch-On arena. For further information on packages, telephone 01253 625262 email [email protected] or go to www.the-sands-blackpool.co.uk
ENDS
VisitBlackpool is the tourism arm of Blackpool Council and is tasked with promoting the UK's most popular holiday destination to leisure and business visitors, both domestically and internationally.
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Blackpool Illuminations
- Blackpool Illuminations will shine nightly from Friday 29 August to Sunday 9 November
- Blackpool Illuminations attracts more than three million visitors to the resort each year
- The Illuminations display stretches for more than five miles
- Blackpool’s first electric lighting was in 1879 when just eight Siemens arc lamps illuminated the Promenade. The effect was described by Victorian visitors as ‘artificial sunshine’.
- The Illuminations cost £2.4 million to stage
- The Lights are credited to the pumping of more than £275 million into the local economy
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is making a real difference to people and businesses in the Northwest. With €755 million to invest between 2007 and 2013, ERDF is enhancing the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment. ERDF in the Northwest is managed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). For further information please visit www.erdfnw.co.uk