Author: Viva Blackpool
Lights, Camera, Action! A Sneak Peek into The Backlot Cinema – Blackpool’s Newest Attraction
15 March 2024
Lights, camera, action! Blackpool, renowned for its vibrant entertainment scene, is about to welcome a new addition that promises to dazzle cinephiles and thrill-seekers alike. Set to open its doors in 2024, the Backlot Cinema is poised to become the latest hotspot in town, offering an immersive cinematic experience like no other. Join us as we take a closer look at what this exciting new venture has in store for movie lovers in Blackpool.
Unveiling Backlot Cinema: Nestled in the heart of Blackpool’s bustling entertainment district, Backlot Cinema is set to revolutionize the way audiences experience movies. Boasting state-of-the-art technology and a unique design inspired by classic Hollywood glamour, this cinema promises to transport visitors into the enchanting world of cinema from the moment they step through its doors.
Immersive Viewing Experience: At Backlot Cinema, moviegoers can expect nothing short of a cinematic extravaganza. From plush, comfortable seating to cutting-edge sound and visual effects, every aspect of the viewing experience has been carefully curated to captivate the senses and ignite the imagination. Whether you’re watching the latest blockbuster or a timeless classic, prepare to be immersed in the magic of the silver screen like never before.
Diverse Film Selection: From action-packed thrillers to heartwarming dramas, Backlot Cinema offers a diverse selection of films catering to all tastes and preferences. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of superhero epics or a connoisseur of indie cinema, there’s something for everyone on the lineup. Additionally, the cinema plans to host special screenings, film festivals, and exclusive premieres, ensuring that every visit is a memorable experience.
Premium Amenities: In addition to its cutting-edge IMAX big screen technology and impressive film selection, Backlot Cinema also boasts a range of premium amenities designed to enhance the moviegoing experience. Indulge in gourmet snacks and beverages at the cinema’s upscale concession stand, or treat yourself to VIP seating options for an extra touch of luxury. With impeccable service and attention to detail, Backlot Cinema aims to elevate the standard of entertainment in Blackpool.
Community Engagement: Beyond its role as a premier entertainment destination, Backlot Cinema is committed to fostering a sense of community and cultural enrichment. Through partnerships with local filmmakers, educational institutions, and charitable organizations, the cinema plans to host screenings, workshops, and events that celebrate the art of cinema and inspire the next generation of storytellers.
IMAX SCREEN TECHNOLOGY
As Blackpool prepares to welcome the Backlot Cinema to its vibrant cultural landscape, anticipation is running high for what promises to be a groundbreaking addition to the city’s entertainment scene. With its immersive viewing experience, diverse film selection, premium amenities, and commitment to community engagement, Backlot Cinema is poised to redefine the moviegoing experience for audiences in Blackpool and beyond. So mark your calendars, movie buffs, and get ready to embark on a cinematic journey like no other at Backlot Cinema. Lights, camera, action – the show is about to begin!
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Embrace Easter Fun in Blackpool: A Guide to Making the Most of Your Holiday
Easter is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate the holiday than by soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of Blackpool?
Known for our iconic landmarks, thrilling attractions, and lively entertainment, Blackpool offers an array of activities that guarantee a memorable Easter break for the whole family. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker, a culture enthusiast, or simply looking to unwind by the seaside, Blackpool has something for everyone.
Let’s dive into the top experiences to ensure you have an egg-citing time in this seaside gem.
1. Easter Egg Hunts: Kick off your Easter festivities with a classic egg hunt! Blackpool hosts various egg-citing events throughout the holiday season. From traditional hunts in the scenic parks to themed hunts in amusement parks like Blackpool Pleasure Beach, children and adults alike can enjoy the thrill of searching for chocolate treasures amidst the beautiful surroundings.
2. Visit Blackpool Tower: No trip to Blackpool is complete without a visit to the iconic Blackpool Tower. Take in breathtaking views of the coastline from the observation deck, explore the Tower Circus for a dose of family-friendly entertainment, or immerse yourself in the enchanting world of the Tower Ballroom. During Easter, special events and performances are often held at the Tower, adding an extra layer of excitement to your visit.
3. Enjoy a Seaside Stroll: Embrace the fresh sea breeze with a leisurely stroll along Blackpool’s Golden Mile. From sandy beaches to bustling promenades, there’s no shortage of picturesque spots to explore. Treat yourself to some traditional seaside fish and chips, indulge in delectable ice cream cones, and bask in the joy of simple pleasures by the sea.
4. Thrilling Rides at Blackpool Pleasure Beach: For adrenaline junkies, Easter in Blackpool wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Home to exhilarating rides such as the iconic Big One and the heart-pounding ICON, this amusement park promises an unforgettable experience for thrill-seekers of all ages. With special Easter-themed events and entertainment, the fun never stops at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
5. Explore Blackpool Zoo: Embark on a wild adventure at Blackpool Zoo and discover fascinating creatures from around the globe. From majestic lions to playful lemurs, the zoo offers a captivating experience for animal lovers of all ages. Take part in special Easter activities, including animal encounters, educational talks, and themed trails, for a fun-filled day of exploration and discovery.
6. Dive into Blackpool’s Nightlife: As the sun sets, Blackpool comes alive with an array of nightlife options to suit every taste. Whether you prefer cozy pubs, lively bars, or dazzling cabaret shows, the city offers endless entertainment opportunities. Dance the night away to live music, catch a spectacular performance at one of the renowned theaters, or simply unwind with a refreshing drink overlooking the dazzling lights of the promenade.
6. Enjoy showtime with the whole Family: Roll Up, Roll Up – for the greatest show in town! There’s a whole host of family show performances to check out – to amazing the kids, and give the adults a few laughs too. Check out the amazing Blackpool Tower Circus for thrills and spills, and also there are other family show listings online here
7. Showtown – the museum of fun and entertainment: Brand new for 2024, check out Blackpool’s brand new museum dedicated to it’s entertainment heritage! There’s exhibitions, interactive displays and more dedicated to circus, dance, music hall, fairgrounds and much much more!
Conclusion: With its vibrant atmosphere, diverse attractions, and endless entertainment options, Blackpool is the perfect destination for an egg-citing Easter getaway. Whether you’re seeking thrills on the rides, exploring the city’s rich heritage, or simply relaxing by the seaside, Blackpool has something for everyone to enjoy. So pack your bags, gather your loved ones, and get ready for an unforgettable Easter adventure in our amazing seaside town.
Other recent news
The ‘Blackpool Cup’ Football Tournament Returns This Easter
Blackpool is once again preparing to welcome 400 youth football teams and over 10,000 attendees during the Easter Weekend as they return for Blackpool Cup tournaments.
The tournaments will bring a major boost to the local economy as well as showcasing Blackpool’s credentials as a family-friendly resort, capable of hosting major International sporting events.
Teams are travelling from seven countries across Europe, including Netherlands, Poland, Ireland and the four home nations together with more than 70 local teams based in Blackpool in which is sure to be an exciting festival of football and fun.
The weekend kicks off with an official opening ceremony at the iconic Blackpool Tower Circus. Matches will be played over at the excellent new facilities on Myerscough College and UCLan Sports Arena.
This year the Blackpool Cup is supporting two local charities, the NHS Blue Skies Hospital Funds and Blackpool Carers along with the Butterfly Tree Charity in Zambia. There will be donation stations set up for people to bring along any old kit and boots, which will be sent out to Zambia after the competitions along with the tournament match balls.
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Blackpool Air Show 2024
8 March 2024
One of the UK’s biggest and best FREE airshows, Blackpool Air Show is scheduled to return for 2024 across the weekend of the 10th and 11th August 2024
Full details of the 2 day festival of all things aircraft, stunts and more flying specials will be announced with the RAF Typhoon display team and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight who are also confirmed for both days of the free event.
The festival also features stalls and ground displays from the likes of the RAF, Blackpool Life Boat and is a real carnival event in the shadow of the Tower.
The best views are from on the Tower Headlands – with the displays mostly taking place over the Irish sea infront of the Blackpool Tower between the Central Pier and North Pier.
If you are unable to make the show, you may be able to watch some of the displays on our live webcam – located on the roof, overlooking the promenade.
Previous Blackpool Air Shows
The history of the Blackpool Air show dates back over 100 years to 1909, when it was first held at Blackpool Airport showcasing some of the first planes ever built. This makes the Blackpool Air Show one of the longest running in the World!
Sadly, the 2020 show was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic. But our friends at VisitBlackpool and Live Blackpool compiled some videos of previous displays below.
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Blackpool World Fireworks Championships 2024
Returning once again for 2024, the amazing FREE event on Blackpool promenade is set to light up the skies once again with 3 dazzling displays!
Blackpool Welcomes The Best Pyrotechnic Displays in the World
SAVE THE DATE. This year, the dates are confirmed as:-
- Saturday 7th September 2024 – Heat 1
- Saturday 21st September 2024 – Heat 2
- Saturday 5th October – Heat 3
Usual Timings of the Event
The crowds will start to build from 7.30pm with the first fireworks fired at approximately 8.30pm
Whilst the famous Blackpool illuminations light up the whole of Blackpool Promenade, these amazing fireworks displays which are choreographed to music will light up the skies.
The stunning displays, which are set to music, will take place over the beach in front of The Blackpool Tower and just a stone’s throw away from Coral Island. All of the displays are free to access.
Getting to the Event
Traffic builds early and roads into Blackpool get very busy due to the sheer volume of traffic – Public transport is recommended.
If you are wishing to travel by car, visitors are advised to park n the southern car parks and use the trams to travel directly to the event.
Please remember all displays are subject to weather conditions, things could change at the last minute.
2021 World Fireworks Championships
The winners of the 2021 competition were Germany – with their amazing display captured from our roof online here
The finale was a stunning display by Titanium Pyrotechnics – captured on video from the roof of Viva Blackpool online here
2019 World Fireworks Championships
The winners of the 2019 competition were Ukraine – Dance of Fire and are still reigning champions beating off competition from Estonia and Canada.
To see the winning display, check out the video courtesy of YouTube / Pleasure Beach Thrills
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Having a Night Out in Blackpool When You’re Disabled
7 March 2024
As a highly popular seaside resort visited by millions each year, Blackpool is a town that caters for everyone, adults and children alike, including people with disabilities.
There are plenty of tourist attractions that have disability access, from Blackpool Tower to the Pleasure Beach. But what about if you want to have a night out? Thankfully, it doesn’t disappoint. From disability-friendly venues to where to hire a wheel chair and getting about, we show you what Blackpool has to offer on a night out when you’re disabled.
Disability-friendly venues in Blackpool
If you’re disabled and looking for a good night out in Blackpool, there are plenty of bars, pubs and clubs that provide good access. This includes facilities that are easy to enter and exit, space for wheel chairs to move and manoeuvre, and disabled toilets. Some venues to consider for your night out, which have such facilities, include the:
- Beach House Bar and Bistro – Sophisticated and stylish, live entertainment, great cocktail selection, breathtaking views of the Irish Sea
- Revolution Blackpool – Referred to as one of the town’s best cocktail bars, good restaurant, smart casual style, huge variety of premium drinks, nice sea views
- The Albert and The Lion – Classic Wetherspoon pub, fun and relaxed atmosphere, good-sized space, large food and drinks menu
- Yates Blackpool Market Street – High-street party pub, said to have Blackpool’s number one DJ, typical English decor, broad drinks menu including cocktails
Where to hire a wheelchair
If you’d like to hire a wheelchair or scooter while you’re at Blackpool, there are a number of places around the town to visit or contact. Shops that offer the option to hire equipment include:
- Access Disability
- Millercare Blackpool
- Blackpool Wheelchair Store
- You can also hire from the British Red Cross
Getting about
It’s also easy to get around in Blackpool if you’re disabled, with accessible trams and buses running regularly across the town. The modern trams have wheelchair access, while buses are designed with a low floor to allow wheelchair users easy access too.
Of the town’s famous heritage trams, the Western Train tram has a wheelchair lift. Conductors are also helpful and will assist where possible on trams which have steps.
Providing access for everyone at Viva Blackpool
At Viva, we want all our guests to have an amazing time and we are proud to provide full access to people with disabilities – whatever the requirements. This includes lift access, a disabled washroom and toilet facilities. We’re centrally located, so there’s also plenty of pay and display car parks with designated disabled parking nearby.
Our fabulous entertainment is on five nights a week, and we offer half price show tickets to registered carers with a valid ID. From magicians to musical tribute acts, we present a whole range of spectacular shows. And we offer much more than fantastic entertainment too, including delicious food matched with a stunning service. Our ‘Show & Dine’ packages also allow you to add a pre-show dining experience to your visit, letting you enjoy an impressive two or three-course meal before our shows begin.
For more information about accessibility at Viva Blackpool, see our details on our disabled access & facilities web page. Or to find out more about what else we offer, just get in touch with our dedicated team.
Other recent news
Viva launches Dynamic Pricing
8 November 2023
Every now and again, we review our Viva seating plans to meet demand, react to feedback and popularity of the 900+ seating positions we have in the venue.
This has recently been undertaken, and we are introducing some improvements to our seating plans for 2024.
– The area previously known as ‘Premier’ has been upgraded to ‘PremierPLUS’ and has been reduced to a focused area in the centre of the room, nearest the stage. These are the BEST seats in the house and will typically be highest priced tickets
– The seating areas previously known as ‘Bar Area’ and ‘VIP/Tall Table’ seating have been combined and renamed ‘Standard’ seating. They offer a great view at an affordable price.Some of our tables/seats have been re-categorised. If for example there is a slight viewing restriction – we’ve moved these seats into the ‘Standard’ seating category to reflect this in the price of the tickets.
There has been no change to the table numbering. So if you have already purchased tickets – this will not change.
Where ticket demand is very high, fewer changes have been made to the price bands, and only the names of the seating areas have been changed (to PremierPLUS, Premier and Standard).
We have also introduced some more information onto the seating plan – such as what the colours mean on the different seats, where venue facilities are etc.
We are retaining our ‘Child (U7) tickets (which are FREE for most in house performances) and Junior Tickets (7-15) but we are combining Adult and OAP tickets into a single ‘Adult 16+’ ticket as we seek to reduce the complicated number of options available, and introduce Dynamic Pricing.
Dynamic Pricing
This is similar to how airline tickets are priced – with prices fluctuating according to demand. So our advice is to BOOK EARLY and get the best price possible, as it is likely it won’t go any cheaper before the performance.To introduce Dynamic pricing, we will be removing the option to book with a ‘Flexible Deposit’ for a trial period – as we will require payment in full in order to manage the dynamic pricing.
FAQs…
What will happen if I’ve already booked? You don’t need to do anything! Your seat will still be in the same position, and the table number/seat number remain the same – so please don’t worry.
I’ve already booked with a flexible deposit, is this cancelled? No – your flexible deposit is still holding the seat/table you’ve booked and you can pay the balance any time up to 7 days before your visit.
Other recent news
Christmas By The Sea
25 April 2023
Extending Blackpool’s season right up until January, Christmas by the Sea includes a full Christmas log cabin village featuring stalls, bars, ice rinks and rides – right infront of Blackpool Tower on the World famous Golden Mile!
Dates are yet to be confirmed, but Christmas by the sea will be returning this year so you’ll be able to wrap up warm, grab a tasty sweet treat or gift from our charming cabins and spend an evening discovering all what’s on offer in this unmissable outdoor experience.
The event also includes the extension of the Blackpool Illuminations – so extends into the night-time when illuminated displays take over as well as projections onto the Tower building, simulated snowfall and a party atmosphere.
Other recent news
Lightpool Festival
The award winning Lightpool Festival returns to Blackpool from the 20th to the 28th October 2023.
Running alongside the World Famous Blackpool Illuminations, this FREE series of events, outdoor activities and special illuminated art installations are staged across a wide range of venues and locations across the town.
The programme features a spectacular mix of extraordinary light installations, live performance and 3D projection shows – not to be missed, across one of the busiest weeks of the year in Blackpool.
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King’s Coronation Celebrations in Blackpool
16 April 2023
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