Yahoo News Strictly Come Dancing stars to open Blackpool's Christmas By The Sea
Blackpool is preparing for a sprinkling of festive joy soon - with some Strictly sparkle added to the mix too.
Four of the BBC dancing competition's professionals, Carlos Gu, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu and Neil Jones, will open Christmas By The Sea in Blackpool on Friday, November 15. This marks the eve of the much-anticipated return of Strictly Come Dancing to the world-famous Tower Ballroom.
The opening event on Friday will include a cast of skaters and school performers, all to kick off the festive season. The event will also include a free ice skating rink in the heart of an exciting collection of themed family attractions, food and drink huts, snowfalls, projection shows and light installations and festive tram rides.
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The opening event will start at around 5pm and will include children from the Blackpool Ice Drome Charities Association (BIDCA). They will perform a routine from their forthcoming Christmas Ice Show, Snow White: A Fairytale Adventure On Ice that will be showcased in full at Pleasure Beach Resort later in December.
Scriptwriter and co-director, Simon Davies, said: "The characters and scenes from the classic story are all there: The dwarfs, the Evil Queen, the poisoned apple, the diamond mine, the spooky magic mirror, and Snow White herself. But this, being BIDCA, means we’ve added a lot of fun extra touches, scenes and unexpected music choices – and we can’t wait to give people a taste of the show at the Christmas By The Sea opening night."
Christmas By The Sea 2024 is set to be the biggest to date, with extended opening hours from noon to 9pm until January 5, 2025 (excluding Christmas Day). There will also be other attractions including a Snow Dome Waltzer, helter skelter and German Swing Grill, and the return of the thrilling Star Flyer, which at 196ft tall, is one of Europe’s tallest swing rides.
Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, added: "Christmas By The Sea is one of the most popular events in our calendar, attracting visitors from far and wide who come to enjoy a unique Christmas experience. Many of the attractions including the rink, projection shows, snowfalls and light installations will again be free to access, giving families the chance to enjoy a truly magical and memorable Christmas."
