Blackpool Things to Do

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English copying French? Impossible! Let's explain this in "English" version:

By the end of the 19th century, the world desperately needed a big tower. Several architects were projecting it worlwide, and in England James Maxwell and Charles Tuke planned an iron tower, with several attractions in it.

The French knew, and ordered Eifell to built urgently something alike, so that the French could be the first.

Eifell did it, but in the rush, he built in 1889 a simple tower, very big, but empty at ground level.

The british went slower, but five years later they did it properly - a tower with circus, ballroom, much richer than the big French copy built five years before (fortunately I don't have to write this in French!).

Is it clear now?

Well, the town is undergoing hard maintenance and the visit to the top will open only in September. I visited the lovely ballroom and skipped the circus. It's nice, in the luna park that is Blackpool

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Reading about the sculpture by St John's church, I found:

In http://www.rudi.net:

"London-based, architectural practice leit-werk won a £3.5million competition to re-design a key public space in the heart of Blackpool. The redevelopment of the St John's Precinct area forms part of the greater regeneration plan being delivered by ReBlackpool - the town's urban regeneration company. St John's Precinct project is being managed and delivered by Blackpool Council through its Townscape Heritage Initiative with additional funding from the North West Regional Development Agency (NWRDA).
...

A key element of leit-werk's design is the New Horizon sculpture: a 12 metre hollow-spiral of mirrored steel, with a two-directional stage at its base. Through intensive investigation the team, in collaboration with Ron Packman of Packman Lucas, has fine-tuned a sculptural solution, which provides changing reflections of the sky, the horizon and the sea. In this way the new work creates an urban vista linking the beach and the town."

In http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk:

"SOARING metal costs have forced council chiefs to scrap a dramatic steel sculpture which should have been the centrepiece of a major town centre regeneration scheme.

A hollow spiral of mirrored steel with a stage at its base for performances was to have been the iconic centrepiece of the 3.5m St John's Precinct scheme outside the Winter Gardens."

In http://blackpoolcam.co.uk, finally:

"The focal point of the square will be a 10.5 metre high sculpture named The Wave. Designed by artist Lucy Glendinning, the piece was designed to reflect Blackpool’s coastal location and resort status. A giant curl of steel representing a breaking wave is studded with coloured resin inserts whose shapes were inspired by detail in the stained glass at St Johns Church. These inserts are lit internally by LED colour change lights that give the sculpture a feel of constantly changing when seen from different angles. The top of the wave is pierced by a twice life size figure diving through it and which are internally lit

A series of funky pebbles around the base of the sculpture echo the seaside theme of the main work. Again, internally textured and lit with the same colour change lighting as the sculpture they emit a soft glow of colour through jewel like internal faceting.

Illuminated dancing water flumes that can be programmed to act as simultaneous jets will spring to life at the East/West/South/ North end of the square. The jets are computer controlled and will be capable of a number of functions from dancing jest to Mexican waves of lit water."

I would like to see the Portuguese politicians showing the same respect for money!

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The centre of my interest in Blackpool, this is a wide classical building, housing several indoor activities. Dancing was the subject that took us there, and it was perfectly organized, with the action in the main room, and specialized displays and services around it.

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Situated in the pleasent district of Stanley Park just half a mile from Blackpool front is the Zoo.
A small but nice Zoo very well maintained and clean with friendly helpful staff and a variety of exotic and domestic animals all of which are kept in clean,natural surroundings.There is also the Dinosaur Safari which you can walk around and view the large model Dinosaurs and read about how they lived,all in all a good family day out for both young and old.
The zoo is open everyday except christmas day from 10.00am till 5.00pm.
Prices:Adults-£13.99,Children-£9.99

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This is similar to Mini-Europe in Brussels. The main difference is that it depicts a typical English village, rather than Europe's famous sights. It's a charming, rather quaint little place, and a good one to see while visiting the park or the zoo. The models are exquisitely detailed, capturing the essence of English country life. The gardens are also very attractive, and tastefully done.

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At Stanley Park is the zoo & dinosaur park which is very interesting. Entry is four pounds fifty just for the zoo; an extra two pounds will cover the dinosaur park as well. All visitors are given a wrist band. There are many animals on display like turtles that can live over 100 years of age. Ring tailed lemurs, Llama, howler monkeys, Indian elephants, Lions, sea lions, gorilla’s & Otters are just some of the animals which can be seen. There are talks all day long about the different animals, you find the times of these on a black board. There’s a café where you can get snacks & toilets for the disabled. The enclosures are nice with plenty of room for the animals, the monkey enclosure is also heated in the winter.

The dinosaur park is very good with life size exhibits & the usual noises, one of them even farts. There’s an erupting volcano in the middle of the complex which shoots water (not lava), & geysers here & there. There’s two shops, one is the gift shop & the other sells framed pictures; you can buy Fair Trade as well. Opening times are 10:00 am to dusk, you can also hire a wheelchair.

A PROMENADE walk in the pouring rain sounds as though it should dampen the enthusiasm of the most die-hard Blackpool visitor. But locals are not fooled because it really is one of the best ways of seeing Britain’s biggest and brightest light show.

During what in other towns would become just another depressing downpour, here on the Fylde Coast, the lamps and festoons form a sensational carpet of shimmering reflections along the six-mile route of the Illuminations.
You can always take a tram to enjoy the spectacle but many visitors tour the Lights by road, travelling south to north. Some beat the peak midweek and even journey in the other direction, starting at Bispham and ending at the St Annes boundary.

Here’s the glittering line-up for the 2003 grand tour:

Blackpool Illuminations are already out of this world as alien space ships form a WELCOME ARCH, zapping out a greeting to all who begin their promenade trip from Starr Gate in South Shore.

This year the illuminations will run 29 August-2 November 2003.

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Everyone should see the Illuminations at some point in their lives. This 8 mile display of lights is a wonderful sight for everyone and anyone - each year there are more than 500 scenic displays and features - some are set pieces and others are strung out across the Promenade.
The best way to see the Illuminations is from the top of a tram and sit at the front if you can. The display starts and ends at Bispham in the north or Starr Gate in the south.
The lights are always switched on at the start of September by a well known star - past stars have included the Bee Gees, Robbie Williams, Alan Carr, Kermit the Frog and even Red Rum the famous horse!
The lights are switched off in early November and are totally free to see although there are charity collections along the route.
The first display of lights took place in 1912 when Princess Louise opened Queens Promenade and it grew from then on. The Illuminations now only use green electricity from renewable resources, comprising wind power, small-scale hydropower and Biogas.
Recommended.