Local News

Preparations for SpareParts, the UK’s only Festival of Art, Performance and Spectacle dedicated to transport and travel, are getting underway with the fantastic news that Fleetwood Festival of Transport has been awarded a grant by Arts Council England (ACE)to tour SpareParts to two other transport Festivals in the North of England. Fleetwood Festival of Transport is one of only four organisations in the North of England, and 15 nationally, awarded funding from the Strategic Touring Fund in this cycle. This investment will support SpareParts: On the Move – a pilot programme which will connect three ambitious transport festivals in Fleetwood,…

This pass is part of the resort’s ongoing effort to keep Blackpool at the forefront of British tourism. The pound’s currently depreciated level may make foreign travel suddenly more expensive, but the lure of predictable sunshine abroad will remain strong and there is always increasing domestic competition with new attractions opening all the time. The resort must fight hard to keep its preeminent position in Britain’s tourism hierarchy, including the way Blackpool is portrayed. Our charming national media don’t seem to pull down other resorts like they do Blackpool, something that irritates me, if nobody else. From my day job’s…

Blackpool is sporting a resurgence in adventurous activities for locals with the new Clip ‘n Climb franchise joining ventures such as the ever popular Ascent and the soon to be opened Coast Riders Roller Rink in offering affordable year round family friendly fun for residents. So what is it? Clip ‘n Climb is exactly what is says on the tin. Wearing a harness you ‘clip’ into the custom designed TruBlue auto belay device and ‘climb’. Climb a whole series of themed challenges, rising over 25ft, including the 8.5m vertical drop slide, set to be the highest of all Clip ‘n…

It’s that in between time when it comes to keeping the younger members of the family artistically busy.  The excitement of Christmas and panto season has receded (oh yes it has…), but it’s still a little while until half term and the delights of Showzam! and the like.  Step forward The Grand, who this weekend are staging a Family Fun Day on Saturday. Recent panto stars Steve Royle and Hayley Kay will preside over an afternoon of entertainment.  They will be judging a jungle character fancy dress competition with a prize including tickets to forthcoming show Running Wild.  So, get…

Renowned local photographer Jill Reidy has recently launched a kickstarter campaign for her latest project, using her 40 years of Blackpool experience to now photo-document several other English seaside resorts.  I caught up with her this week to talk about what the project involves, and how altBlackpool readers can get involved. SD: Why seaside towns? JR: I was born and grew up in London, so the seaside always held a special magic for me. Every year we used to visit our cousins in Margate and I can still feel that excitement as we came over the brow of a hill…

The voluntary cultural sector is huge, incorporating drama groups, choirs, knitting circles, orchestras, dance troupes, painters, photographers, community arts and much, much more. Over 60,000 voluntary arts groups operate across the UK and Republic of Ireland, and their contribution to lives in their local community cannot be underestimated. Since 2010, Voluntary Arts has run the Epic Awards, which recognise the wonderful achievements of these groups. Voluntary who I hear you ask? It's an organisation that promotes participation in creative cultural activities. They work with local creative cultural groups, voluntary sector organisations, arts councils and local and national government, to help increase opportunities…

I have trawled the archives to pick a few favorites from 2016. From The Other Worlds Festival at the start of the year to the amazing LightPool in the Autumn.  I hope folks were able to capture at least some of the goings on in Blackpool last year and if not, hopefully the images will allow you to have a little taste. In no particular order, Blackpool in colour (well not all of them) 2016.  - Claire Griffiths