Blackpool is famous for its Illuminations, but there's another reason to visit during October — the annual Lightpool Festival, which brings illuminated sculptures, colourful installations and interactive artworks to the town.
With a night booked at the Grand Hotel, I decided to take my little girl out for an evening exploring the festival. Best of all, the main Lightpool trail is completely free!
We weren't following a particularly strict itinerary. The plan was simply to enjoy the lights, take a few photographs and see what we discovered along the way.
And, as usual, my little girl provided plenty of entertainment herself! 😂
Starting With the Illuminated Tram
We began our walk at the illuminated Western Train tram, before heading south along the promenade.
Our next stop was the illuminated Blackpool sign opposite Blackpool Tower, which made a great spot for photographs. From there, we also had a good view of the colourful projections lighting up the Tower building.
It was a lovely way to start the evening, with the traditional Blackpool Illuminations adding even more colour to the surroundings.
Three Dragons and a Colour-Changing Tunnel
Continuing along the promenade, we reached Guardians of the North, featuring three illuminated dragons — one red, one green and one blue — each wrapped around its own pillar.
My little girl thought these were really cool, particularly the blue dragon, which occasionally blew out smoke!
A little further along, we came across Spiro, a tunnel made from illuminated arches that constantly changed colours.
The lights shifted between different shades as we walked through, making it a brilliant place to stop for photographs.
We continued south and spotted a little illuminated donkey before passing the Ferris wheel.
Ice Cream and Blackpool's Famous Promenade
After reaching the Ferris wheel, we crossed over and began making our way back north towards Blackpool Tower, this time walking past the souvenir shops and amusement arcades.
Naturally, my little girl decided this was the perfect opportunity for an ice cream! 😂
One of the nice things about this route is that there's plenty to see between the actual festival installations. Even when you're not looking at an artwork, the shops, arcades and traditional Illuminations keep the walk interesting.
Colourful Jellyfish at Medusae
After returning towards Blackpool Tower, we turned right and discovered Medusae, a collection of illuminated jellyfish hanging overhead.
The jellyfish constantly changed colours, creating a lovely display against the dark sky.
Unfortunately, the installation was cordoned off, so we couldn't actually walk amongst them, which was a little disappointing.
They still looked impressive, though, and were well worth stopping to see.
Exploring the Artworks Along Victoria Street
From the jellyfish, we headed up Victoria Street towards the Winter Gardens, where several more installations were located.
Our first stop was Noctilucent, a display combining light and smoke to create an unusual visual effect.
I thought it was quite interesting, although my little girl wasn't quite so convinced. She couldn't work out what it was supposed to be! 😂
That's one of the fun things about visiting an art festival with children — they certainly aren't afraid to give their opinions!
Next was What the Gull, which went down much better with her. She thought it was absolutely hilarious, and it turned out to be one of the more entertaining stops of the evening.
We also visited The Tapestry, which was alright, although it wasn't one of our particular favourites.
Shadows and Salt – A Crab on a Spoon!
One of the more interactive installations was Shadows and Salt.
There were different props that children could play with in front of a spotlight, creating shadows projected onto a nearby window.
It was a nice change from simply looking at illuminated sculptures, as the children could get involved and experiment with the displays themselves.
My little girl particularly enjoyed wandering around with a crab on a spoon! 🦀😂
Sometimes it's the simplest things that keep children entertained.
Event Horizon – Lights, Mirrors and Unexpected Dancing
After walking past the Winter Gardens, we arrived at Event Horizon, another of the evening's highlights.
This installation featured a dark mirrored tunnel, with flashing LED lights reflecting all around you as you walked through.
The mirrors made the lights seem to stretch in every direction, creating a really immersive experience.
My little girl loved walking through it.
Unfortunately for my attempt at filming a nice atmospheric video, she also decided it was the perfect place to start twerking! 🤦♂️🤣
I suppose that's one way to make a travel video more entertaining!
Finishing With a Glowing Elephant
Our final stop was In Love With My Dynamic Soft Elephant, located outside Blackpool Church.
Despite the rather elaborate name, it was essentially a big illuminated elephant! 🐘😂
Still, it looked good and made a nice final stop before we finished our evening exploring the festival.
How Long Does the Lightpool Trail Take?
We completed our walk in just under an hour and a half, taking our time, stopping for photographs, enjoying the installations and fitting in the obligatory ice cream.
It wasn't particularly busy during our Monday evening visit, which made it easy to explore everything at our own pace.
Our route took us along the promenade before looping back towards the Tower and continuing through Victoria Street and the Winter Gardens area.
It's a manageable walk for families, although you could easily spend longer if you wanted to explore additional installations or stop at the arcades.
It's also worth mentioning that a number of artworks were unavailable during our visit because of the weather. This meant we couldn't experience everything the festival had to offer, although there was still plenty to enjoy.
If you're planning a visit, I'd recommend checking the festival's official website for updates, particularly when the weather is unsettled.
Is Blackpool Lightpool Festival Worth Visiting With Kids?
Absolutely!
It's a lovely way to spend an evening in Blackpool without having to pay for an expensive attraction.
There's a good mixture of colourful sculptures, light displays and interactive experiences, although some installations are more likely to appeal to children than others.
My little girl particularly enjoyed the dragons, What the Gull, the interactive shadows and walking through Event Horizon.
I enjoyed the variety of artwork, and it was nice discovering different installations as we explored the town.
Not everything was spectacular, and a few displays were more interesting than others, but that's part of the experience.
For a free family activity, there's really not much to complain about.
Useful Information for Visiting Lightpool Festival
- Location: Blackpool promenade and various town-centre locations.
- Dates visited: Monday 26 October 2026.
- Admission: Free for the main festival trail.
- Our walking time: Just under 90 minutes at a relaxed pace.
- Crowds: Relatively quiet during our visit.
- Best for: Families, photography and anyone looking for a free evening activity.
- Weather: Some artworks may be temporarily unavailable during poor weather.
- Extra costs: Food, drinks, arcades and any separately ticketed attractions.
My tip: Visit after dark to enjoy the installations properly, wear comfortable shoes and allow extra time if you're visiting with children who enjoy stopping for photographs — or ice cream!
You can also combine the festival with Blackpool's traditional Illuminations, making it an even better evening out.
Final Thoughts
We had a really enjoyable evening exploring Blackpool's Lightpool Festival.
It was relaxed, didn't cost anything to enter, and gave us plenty of opportunities to discover something different together.
From smoke-breathing dragons and colour-changing tunnels to jellyfish, shadow puppets and a glowing elephant, there was certainly plenty of variety.
And between the crab on a spoon and the unexpected dancing in Event Horizon, my little girl managed to make the evening even more memorable! 😂
Would I visit again? Definitely. It's a great little addition to a Blackpool trip, especially if you're already visiting to see the Illuminations.
One world. Endless adventures.
Visit the official Lightpool Festival website →
← Back to all entries