The Blackpool Illuminations, often called the “Switch-On” lights, started back in 1879 when Blackpool’s council celebrated the first use of electric lights along the Promenade. They kicked things off by spending \u00a35,000 on a trial of electric street lighting. They set up eight arc lamps on 60-foot poles along the seafront. At the time, people were still using candles for light, so this new setup amazed everyone and got nicknamed “artificial sunshine.” These electric lights drew curious visitors to Blackpool, starting an annual tradition that continues to this day. Although the early lamps had a quirky issue\u2014they would often go out when the tide came in because water would seep into the cast iron wiring pipes. The Illuminations got a major update in 1925 after an 11-year pause due to World War I.<\/p>\r\n