Free Sports Events in Blackpool

Blackpool is proud to host some great sporting events and championships throughout the year. The events are usually free for spectators so, if any of these, or other events are taking place during your stay in Blackpool, you might like to go along and see.

World Fireworks Championship

The World Fireworks Championships usually take place in Blackpool at weekends throughout September so a great event to come and see during the Illuminations. The firework display is staged on one of the piers so you can watch from anywhere on Blackpool promenade and get an amazing view. Top firework companies from around the globe will be invited to stage pyrotechnical displays, bringing an International flavour to Central Promenade during the opening weeks of Blackpool’s World Famous Illuminations season. To out-shine their opponents, entrants must demonstrate cutting edge pyro-musical design with a display that represents the style or traditions of their country. Each competing company will launch fireworks particular to their homeland and showcase their own pyrotechnical expertise, to win the public vote. The World Fireworks Championships is a truly spectacular event not to be missed.

International Beach Volleyball Tournament

Blackpool´s famous promenade was the venue for the UK´s first international beach volleyball tournament when the two leading GB women´s teams took on six top pairs from Europe to give the British audience its first taste of top class beach action. The FIVB Exhibition Tournament finals were played under floodlights, creating a great sporting spectacle alongside the town´s famous illuminations, while a specially commissioned troupe of dancers from Blackpool´s Pleasure Beach led the cheerleading. Building the event site involved moving more than 260 tonnes of sand from the beach to the promenade, erecting a 1,000 seat stadium plus marquees for players, medical facilities and a VIP area with a raised, covered viewing platform. It is all part of a planned strategy by Blackpool Council and the North West Development Agency to reposition the resort as a premier beach sport destination and is backed by a multi-million pound regeneration programme. Director of Tourism from Visit Blackpool, said: "Our town was delighted to host this International Volleyball Event and looks forward to Blackpool being a firm fixture on this young and vibrant sport´s key competition calendar". It is all part of a planned strategy by Blackpool Council and the North West Development Agency to reposition the resort as a premier beach sport destination and is backed by a multi-million pound regeneration programme.

Blackpool Air Show

The annual Blackpool Air Show is another spectacular event which takes place sometime during the summer off the South Promenade. It usually attracts many thousands of visitors to the resort and spectators can watch from the piers or anywhere along the south or central promenade. Blackpool hosts an annual Air Show along the fabulous Blackpool Promenade where spectators can enjoy a wide variety of aircraft including: Vulcan Bomber, Red Arrow Display Team, Sea King Helicopter, Wing Walkers and many more.

These are just a few of the free spectator sporting events that take place in Blackpool each year. You will find a list of events on the following website so you can check to see what’s on during your stay in the resort.