Sandra Mangan, Author at Blackpool Social Club

28 May

Blackpool beaches clean up in Seaside Awards

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsLocal News

Life's a beach in Blackpool – and that's something to shout about. The sands at Blackpool South, Blackpool Central, Blackpool North and Bispham have been granted Seaside Awards by Keep Britain Tidy for their high standards of beach management and nearby facilities. The organisers also commended the council’s beach patrol, which helps beach goers stay safe while advising them on how to protect the local environment and keep it clean. It is the second successive year that all four beaches have been granted the award which celebrates some of the best beaches in the country. John Blackledge, Blackpool Council’s director of community and environmental services, said: “This…

28 May

Double helping of Pier Jam is a techno delight

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

Techno fans are in for a double delight as Pier Jam announces a second electro-packed all-dayer at Blackpool's North Pier – and there is even a third in the pipeline. Cream and Pier Jam are behind the daytime electronic dance music events for this summer on June 27 and July 18. The first of those dates has already sold out of early bird tickets, but special deals are now available for the second in their series of all-day summer parties, when house legend MK will be taking centre stage. Pier Jam Part 1 on June 27 boasts headliners Amine Edge and DANCE plus special guest Chris Lorenzo at an all day party for real…

20 May

Panto Chance for Young Performers

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

It's panto season again... Oh yes it is! Well, it isn't actually, but the Lowther Pavilion is getting ahead of the game this year. That's why they're running auditions on Sunday, June 21, for an all-singing, all-dancing chorus of boys and girls, aged between nine and 18, who are full of personality and can move well. This year's show is Cinderella, and it is being billed as "the most spectacular pantomime that has ever been staged at the Lowther Pavilion" with a professional West End and celebrity cast. For the run of the performances there will be professional principal actors and three casts of children’s…

19 May

Raising Their Voices in Lloyd Webber Tribute

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsMusic & Gigs, Theatre, Dance & Performance

They've performed at top venues around the country and with such household names as Russell Watson and Aled Jones, but Tideswell Male Voice Choir has never appeared at Lowther Pavilion before. That's about to change when the choir brings its Tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber to the venue on Sunday September 13. The acclaimed north west choir and guests will perform songs from hit musicals like Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar, along with a range of other contemporary song and musical hits. Under the direction of Dennis Kay, the choir’s principal conductor and director of music, supported by principal accompanist Christopher…

19 May

Sand, Sea and Spray is back – thanks to Aunty

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsLocal News, Visual Arts & Exhibitions

Just when the writing was on the wall for Blackpool's annual urban art festival, Sand, Sea & Spray, a kind Aunty has stepped in to help. Now the future looks bright again, thanks to an exciting new partnership between festival founder Robin Ross and community arts organisation Aunty Social. Aunty Social has secured funding for the festival from Arts Council England to bring some of the world's best urban artists to town for three days of live painting from July 10 to 12. As usual, the festival will have a distinctly international flavour with artists from the UK, France, Switzerland, Russia, Argentina, Sweden and…

30 Apr

Unwrapping a Christmas presence

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

At one time, he was the man of my dreams. Now Paul Nicholas was sitting before me dressed in slippers, a dressing gown and a night cap. Photographer Jill and I exchanged uneasy glances.... where had cheeky chappie Vince gone? Then Paul offered us his trademark twinkling smile and the years melted away. Beneath that decidedly unflattering Scrooge costume was the heart throb that we ladies of a certain age had grown to know and love. Let's give younger readers a quick recap of the guy's career thus far. Back in the late 1960s and early 70s, Paul was a star…

29 Apr

Travelling players book a place at the library

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

All-female theatre company The Gramophones are coming to Blackpool with their latest self-devised show, Wanderlust – but rather than performing in one of our many theatre and performance venues, they will be setting up shop in the Central Library. Hidden in the deepest, darkest depths of rural England, in the corners of dusty libraries, are people with a burning secret. A story to tell – if only someone would ask... It's an intriguing thought that fires the imagination of three women, who set out on a quest. Each armed with a dictaphone and a pair of Wellington boots, they began a search to satisfy their…

22 Apr

Hotpots serve up great Lancashire fare

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsMusic & Gigs, Theatre, Dance & Performance

They've been described as 'the Spinal Tap of folk bands' and a night with the Lancashire Hotpots is always one to remember. So mark May 30 in your diary – because that's when the lads are returning to the Grand. The Hotpots will be donning their stetsons and saddling up their horses for an evening of music, comedy... and a bit of the Wild Wild West with their new show - A Fist Full of Scratchcards. You can expect all the usual comedy folk favourites including Chippy Tea, Shopmobility Scooter as well as Rootin’ Tootin’ Country and Western Hoedown. The musical Lancashire Lads from…

21 Apr

Folk and Roots Down on the Farm

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

They're planning a day of folk'n'roots at Farmer Parr's Animal World on April 25. The event has been organised by the New Fylde Folk 'n' Roots Festival committee who promise a barnful of fun and a host of great acts at the 'Live Barn' at Farmer Parr's Animal World. The music can be enjoyed from 2pm through until midnight, with artists who are travelling from far and wide – including West Side Dukes, Drop The Floor, Mather Robinson Band, Richard Grainger, Rod Finlayson and Mike Highley (Aka Bowfell) and The Sail Pattern. There will also be local talent, with performances from Cartoon Food, Joanna Byrne and…

20 Apr

Calling all the Heroes for World Book Night

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsLiterature & Spoken Word

Whether your choice of hero leans towards the literary or the more traditional, April 23 is a date for your diary. After all, it's the birthday of the Bard himself, William Shakespeare, and St George's Day too. It's also World Book Night and Blackpool's Central Library is taking up the heroes theme with two events. Fans of the hit Game of Thrones book series are invited to get involved in a special online event organised by Central Library’s Twitter Book Club. Get online from 8pm to discuss book one of the series, A Game of Thrones. Use the hashtag #bookpool and be sure to follow @BpoolLibraries on…