Blackpool's Lightpool Festival to end with magical, dazzling light display from French artists

This light-based installations have never been seen in the UK before, and will arrive at the Blackpool Conference & Exhibition Centre at the Winter Gardens this Wednesday (Oct 26).

One piece, called Flux, is a kinetic light installation set to music with 48 dynamic lines of light, motorised and controlled in real time. It has been created by Collectif Scale.

Crystallized is an interactive audio-visual sculpture inspired by the bismuth crystal. It has been created by Theoriz, an award-winning team of engineers, visual artists and creative developers based in France.

A third, entitled Drop of Light, created by Dutch artist Gijs Van Bon, will also be revealed. It’s described as a magical installation that combines sculpture, animation, art and technology using extraordinary displays of fluorescent liquid and ultra-violet laser light.

Philip Holmes, Artistic Director said: “We are thrilled to be bringing international light installations into this year’s festival programme some of which have never been seen in the UK before.

“The next few days promises to be a feast of visual entertainment for people of all ages. It is all adding up to our best ever festival.”

The installations will be open for free viewing between 6pm and 10pm each night until Saturday Oct 29. They are part of an extensive art trail which takes in some of Blackpool’s iconic venues and outdoor spaces.

On the Tower Festival Headland, visitors will also be able to preview Odyssey, the biggest installation ever created by the Blackpool Illuminations team and take in a specially-commissioned light show when The Blackpool Tower is brought to life with a sound and light spectacular created by Greg McLenahan. It runs every night during Lightpool Festival at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm and 10pm.

On Thursday 27 October, as part of the festival events programme, an Illuminated Tram Parade will celebrate Blackpool’s unique tramway history. Three illuminated tramcars – a battleship, trawler and Great Western Train - will travel in convoy along the seafront led by the Spark! drummers and a host of carnival characters.

For the full festival line-up, please head to www.visitblackpool.com/lightpoolfestival