Olly Murs to light up Blackpool!

Pop superstar Olly Murs is set to light up Blackpool this August as the headline performer for the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On event on the evening of Friday 29 August. Fresh from his UK-wide arena tour, Olly will take to the stage on Blackpool’s Tower Festival Headland to deliver an hour-long show-stopping set, completely free, with fans, locals and visitors invited to join in the fun.

Olly Murs will be joined by X Factor winner Louisa Johnson for an evening of free, unmissable live entertainment, and will write his name into history alongside an esteemed list of high-profile celebrities, performers and personalities who have held the honour of switching on the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations. The Friday night celebration will once again start with a ‘Blackpool Introduces’ showcase featuring the best of local talent. Further announcements on the line-up will be announced shortly. 

24,000 free tickets have been made available for those wishing to attend, with the ballot for tickets now live exclusively on the VisitBlackpool website. A set allocation has been made exclusively available for local residents, with tourists, music lovers and entertainment fans also invited to enter for their chance to win free tickets to this year’s Switch-On event. Allocation is restricted to four tickets per household. The ballot closes at 10am on Monday 11 August.

Festival organisers will also be introducing a live screening zone on the promenade, allowing those who miss out on tickets to soak up the atmosphere and be a part of what promises to be an exciting evening of entertainment.

Olly Murs said: “I am buzzing to be performing at Blackpool Illuminations on Friday 29 August! I haven’t performed there since 2011, so it’s about time!! It’ll be an incredible night, with a huge set from me & the band, and of course a massive light Switch-On!! Make sure you’re there.”

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council said: “The Switch-On event is one of the highlights of Blackpool’s calendar, it’s an event of celebration for our residents and brings together our local community and  visitors from far and wide. It’s not just a fantastic evening of entertainment - the Illuminations season also delivers a huge boost to our local economy, filling our hotels, restaurants, and shops, and supporting jobs throughout the resort.

“Last year’s Switch On event was fantastic, and we’re really excited for Switch-On 2025 to showcase our world famous Illuminations, our wonderful town and resort.”
 
This year’s event has been sponsored by Blackpool Council’s newly-formed wholly-owned tourism company, Blackpool Tourism Limited, aligning closely with the company’s overarching objective to ensure more guests visit, stay over, and return to the iconic seaside destination.

Kate Shane, Managing Director of Blackpool Tourism Limited, said: “We are thrilled to be sponsoring this year’s Switch-On event, bringing Olly’s headline show to the Golden Mile for this spectacular event that celebrates the start of the 2025 Illuminations. A free event for all the family with one of the UK’s most popular performers lighting up the Promenade.

“Bringing in performers of such a high calibre enables us to build on our reputation of offering unique and memorable experiences that keep visitors coming back year after year, helping Blackpool to retain and build on its position as the UK’s number one seaside resort.

“The Switch-On event is just the start, and we’re looking forward to welcoming millions of guests to the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations right the way through to 4 January!”

The Switch-On event precedes the start of the Illuminations season, which has been drawing in millions of visitors each year since 1879. What started as the UK’s first ever public display with eight carbon arc lamps has now grown into six miles of immersive light and art displays, blending tradition and modern technology to create one of the UK’s most iconic and long-running visitor events.

For more information on this year’s Switch-On event and Blackpool Illuminations, please visit: visitblackpool.com/switchon