Huge 100th birthday party for town's beloved park

Celebrations are taking place to mark the 100th birthday of Blackpool's Stanley Park.

The park has been beloved by generations of Blackpudlians as well as countless thousands of visitors to the Lancashire seaside resort.

Blackpool Council said the Grade II-listed park was as one of the UK's most significant green spaces and had twice been voted the country's best park.

Stanley Park was officially opened on 2 October 1926 by the 17th Earl of Derby.

Saturday's celebrations form the centrepiece of the park's centenary programme.

Visitors can expect:

• Blackpool Makers Market from 11:00 to 17:00 BST with local makers, bakers, artists, creators and independent businesses
• Street food vendors from 11:00 to 20:00
• Family-friendly fairground rides - 11:00 to 19:30
• Free pop-up performances throughout the event for all ages to enjoy including bubble fairy, stilt walkers and an LED artist
• A free youth-led mini festival from House of Wingz and Creative Blackpool, featuring music, dance, skateboarding, art, prizes and more - from 12:00 to 16:00
• A free talk at the Visitor Centre about the 100 Years of Stanley Park with Showtown - from 11:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 14:00
• Heritage Tour of Stanley Park with Friends of Stanley Park - starts 14:00. Tickets are available for £5 at the Visitor Centre and include a guided tour plus tea, coffee and cake
• A free "walk through time" in which the park's history is told through a series of photographs
• Community and local organisations stalls will be at the Bowling Green from 11:00 to 17:00
• Sporting activities including archery for anyone aged eight or over, and a free Blackpool BMX Club race from 09:00 (pre-registration needed)

The day will end with a free drone show at 20:00 by Britain's Got Talent stars Celestial.

Stretching across about 390 acres (about 160 hectares), Stanley Park attracts more than two million visitors each year.

Designed and built by Thomas Mawson, an eminent garden designer and landscape architect, it features Italian Gardens, an Art Deco Cafe, a swan lake and a bandstand, as well as a BMX track, skate park and play area.

It combines formal gardens, woodland, water features and recreational facilities. The park is arranged across four distinct zones, including gardens to the north and west, a lake and woodland area to the east, and children's play areas and sports facilities to the south.

Blackpool Council is investing £500,000 in additional maintenance during the anniversary year, including £50,000 raised by the Friends of Stanley Park.

Investment includes repairs to the Grade II-listed Cocker Memorial Clock Tower, which opened in 1927 to honour Dr William Henry Cocker, Blackpool's first mayor and a key figure in the town's 19th Century development.

Designed by Lionel Budden, the landmark links the park's south gate to the Italian Garden.

Deputy council leader Jane Hugo said: "This centenary year is about celebrating its past, enjoying everything it offers today and investing in its future so people of all ages can continue to enjoy this remarkable, award-winning green space."

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