Stunt Riding Display at the 2009 BLP
The Eighth Annual Blackpool Illuminations GoldWing Light Parade will run on Saturday September 4th 2010 as part of a residential weekend of biking and social activities.
The Organisers are actively seeking a new residential venue following the closure of Pontin’s Blackpool Holiday Centre – but if there is one thing Blackpool’s not short of it’s visitor accommodation, so there will be plenty of options.
We will be looking for somewhere big enough for everyone to stay in, secure parking for the bikes and entertainment facilities. An announcement will be made as soon as practicable.
Two potentially suitable alternative venues have already been identified and we are already in negotiations with the proprietors. There is also a possibility that the former Pontin’s Site at Squires Gate may reopen for the 2010 Season under a new banner, so we may end up being spoiled for choice. Anyway there is no doubt that a suitable venue can be arranged and the 2010 Event will certainly be going ahead.
As already reported, our difficulties with the Police for the 2009 Parade have been resolved and indeed useful experience was gained of an alternative and, as it turned out, better approach to running the Parade. By starting off just before dusk and riding one way along the Prom in twilight before turning back on ourselves to ride back in darkness we ended up with a longer and in many ways better ride.
The crowds turned out to watch us in droves and by mustering within Pontin’s we had none of the difficulties of previous years with crowds swarming all over the mustering area. Apart from the parade getting fragmented (because Police deliberately broke the Parade up, which won’t happen again) the 2009 Parade worked very well. Many people commented that the buzz from the spectating crowds was something special this time, so the basic idea of riding the Prom in both directions and starting earlier is clearly worth repeating.
The Organising Team is being strengthened this year too and it’s already well on with the job of making next year’s Event even better. Members of the Central Florida Drill Team are keen to come back next year so we’re working on that and a number of new features too.
So book your time off work for the weekend of September 3rd to 6th 2010, it’s going to be a great weekend!
Have posted this on Steve Saunder’s site – never too early to spread the word!
Stuart,
Thanks for putting it up on the website – I can now answer those who have been asking me
Dave T
Hi Stuart……While I agree that riding the prom both ways was a good idea I have to disagree with you on the point that the parade was better this year……..The whole point of a parade of any kind is that the viewing public get to see a whole spectacle in it’s eternity, not in bits & bobs as was this years parade the bikes were to spread out among the other cars an traffic etc and in my opinion did not look like they were in any way part of a organized parade. I hope that next year that you will be able to get a commitment from the council and the Police that we will be able to ride in our parade in such a manner that the people who come to see our light display will be able to view and enjoy it to the full………Wishing you and your team all the best for 2010…..Cheers….Papajoe
Well the Parade certainly got fragmented and it certainly wasn’t ideal, but almost all the bikes stayed together in mini-groups and these were seen by the public as a series of Parades, so with a few exceptions the effect for most rideres was still very enjoyable – and the crowds did clearly enjoy it and there were lots and lots of them. Clearly it wasn’t a better Parade overall than 2008 and I don’t think I said that, but it was nevertheless successful and some aspects turned out better. Next year we certainly won’t get any interference by the Police and I am confident that it be a really good one.
Looking forward to it, just hope you can get the accommodation side sorted at a reasonable price etc.
Best wishes to the team on achieving this task.
There are rumours in the local area that the Pontin’s Site will re-open under a new company’s banner but of course that’s just rumour and it wouldn’t guarantee that we could get the same deal. We are aware that cost is important and we are looking at a number of options – and combinations of options, so that if the main venue does have to be a more expensive one there will be cheaper alternatives as well.