Stockport Independent Issue 175

MAY 2024 12 Independent TRAVEL A SPECTACULAR pro- gramme of shows, events and new attractions has been unveiled as Black- pool looks to cement its place as the UK’smost pop- ular seaside destination. At its annual season launch, VisitBlackpool, Pleas- ure Beach Resort and other major players in the tourism economy showcased a huge programme of entertainment lined up for the year ahead. The launch revealed another two-month exten- sion to the autumn Illumina- tions season, a return of the hugely successful ‘Christmas by the Sea’ festival, and mil- lions of pounds of investment in free events and new fam- ily attractions. These include an IMAX cin- ema, an interactive museum of entertainment, an exten- sion to the seafront tramway and a new four-star hotel. New events for 2024 include Elmer’s Big Parade, an ele- phant art trail featuring over 30 uniquely designed versions of the popular children’s book character, and Blackpool Capital of Dance, a month- long festival celebrating the resort’s status as the spiritual home of dance. The world-famous Red Arrows have also confirmed they will be performing a spectacular new show on both days of the Blackpool Air Show in August to celebrate their 60th anniversary. The expansive events pro- gramme planned for 2024 includes a vast range of shows and live entertain- ment as well as the return of VisitBlackpool’s programme of blue riband events includ- ing Air Show Weekend, Ride the Lights, Illuminations Switch-On, World Fireworks Championship Blackpool and Lightpool Festival. The Switch-On event, which last year attracted a record crowd on the Promenade to watch Sophie Ellis-Bextor turn on the Illuminations, will be staged on the night of Friday August 30 and will once again be free to access. Pleasure Beach Resort also announced a series of new additions to the park offer for 2024 as well as millions of pounds of investment in exist- ing rides including a re-imag- ining of the Ghost Train. Plans include amajor invest- ment into entertainment, which means more live shows and pop-up performances including high-tech, stilt-walk- ing, LED ‘Glowbots’, which lit up the park this Easter. Firework nights have been increased to five across the year and there will be eight opportunities for thrill-seek- ers to ride after dark. Seaside’s special Dive into the stunning Causeway Coast from purpose-built platforms constructed in Ballycas- tle Harbour. The divers will have to cope with strong winds as they dive from heights of up to 27m into the cold Atlan- tic waters at speeds of over 85 kmph. A spokesperson for the event said: “Nestled within the Glens of Antrim, an area of outstanding natural beauty, the choppy Atlantic waters of Ballycastle will prove both a danger and a delight for those competing.” Ballycastle is a popular seaside town along the Cause- way Coast, which has been named as one of the world’s most scenic driving routes. The town is close to the remarkable Giant’s Cause- way, a Unesco World Herit- age Site that is the location of over 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns dating back some 60 million years. Other top spots along the coastal route include Car- rick-a-Rede rope bridge and the Gobbins Cliff Path, said to be the most dramatic coastal walk in Europe. The ruins of medieval Dunluce Castle clinging to the edge of the cliffs present an unmissable photo opportu- nity as does Mussenden Tem- ple which overlooks the golden stretch of Downhill Beach on the north coast. The Causeway Coastal route famously featured heavily in the blockbuster TV series Game of Thrones, which was mostly shot in Northern Ireland. Many tours of the shoot locations are on offer visiting key spots such as Ballintoy Harbour (Iron Islands), The Dark Hedges (Kingsroad) and Cushendun caves (Stormlands). This is the first time that the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has included Northern Ireland in its programme, although previously Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, Inis Mór, County Galway and Downpatrick Head, County Mayo have hosted a leg. This year’s championship begins in the Greek capital Athens on May 26 and fin- ishes in Sydney, Australia, on November 10. For more information visit www.ireland.com THIS July Northern Ireland’s spectacular Causeway Coast will be the backdrop to the fourth stop on the adren- aline-charged Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. The famous event has chosen picturesque Bally- castle, County Antrim, as the location for a mid-sea- son stop (19–20 July) that is expected to push the divers to their limits. The elite extreme sport championship features 12 men and 12 women who com- pete to be crowned category winners, gathering points for each dive that are awarded for technique, acrobatics and artistic moves. At Ballycastle, there will be multiple take-off spots presenting an additional challenge. In the opening rounds, divers will launch directly off the dramatic cliffs, while in the final two rounds participants will dive To advertise in the Independent, contact Robin Atkins on 07767 840274