Trip to Blackpool Illuminations

Despite some unpleasant childhood memories of Blackpool illuminations I continue to take my own children there every year. Thanks to some improvements I’m actually starting to enjoy some aspects of the trip.

Confession time – I’ve never been a fan of the Blackpool Illuminations.

I think it’s because I have horrible childhood memories of overflowing litter bins and crowded streets swimming with rubbish which stank of stale fish and chips.

The cheap but yet ridiculously overpriced light up toys are guaranteed to break before you get them home. What a horrible waste of money!!

Lots of people seem to enjoy the slots machines but I’m certainly not one of them. More crowds with irritating noises. Glaringly bright lights that somehow do nothing to dispel the depressing gloom as people who can ill afford to waste money feed their savings into the slot machines. It’s depressing.

Disgusting is quite a strong word but it has always been my overall impression of Blackpool during the illuminations.

Since my childhood the town has made a huge effort to clean up that litter and I’m glad to say that they have for the most part been successful. The streets are now no dirtier than any other town centre.

The arcades are easy enough to avoid and my children are familiar with being refused overpriced rubbish so it’s not impossible to have a reasonably pleasant day out during the Blackpool illuminations.

The lights themselves are lovely as they always have been. It’s nice to see the whole seafront lit up. Of course the main attraction is watching the joy on the children’s faces.

Horse drawn carriages have become very popular. It’s a pricey treat that we have yet to splurge on. I suspect that the children have far more fun watching the horses than they would riding in one of the cartridges.

On the North pier there is a collection of vintage fair ground rides. A simple helter-skelter is little Miss’s delight. It was closed today so instead the children finally had a turn on this stunning Victorian merry go round. Isn’t it a thing of beauty?!

There are some totally free little activities perfect for amusing little ones. My kids insisted on having their photo taken in this comical seaside scene.

I’m actually starting to enjoy some aspects of our annual trip to Blackpool illuminations.

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A Little Bit About Me . . .

Hey there I’m Bridie, a busy mum to two amazing humans, a spirited border collie puppy and a pair of sweet guinea pigs. We homestead in a cherished Edwardian terrace in not so sunny Lancashire, England.

When I’m not spending time with my children and menagerie, I’m usually to be found in my craft room creating and blogging or in the kitchen cooking up a big batch of something tasty. I’m always looking for thrifty hacks to save money on my crafts and recipes. Crafting doesn’t have to cost a fortune!

I’ve included links to my favourite retailers for the products I’ve used to make my crafts. Click on any of the product images and links for full details. If you decide to buy any of these products I may get a small percentage of what you spend. There’s no cost to you at all.