10 Best Nightlife Experiences in Blackpool
Where to Go at Night in Blackpool
Once Britain’s most popular seaside resort, nightlife in Blackpool has experienced a renaissance in recent years with tourists from across the nation once more flocking to the town’s fun-filled theme parks and buzzing bars.
Without a doubt, Blackpool is best known for its pulsating nightlife, which ranges from decades-old cabaret clubs to trendy new bars and restaurants serving locally sourced produce. With down-to-earth, hospitable locals who are quite rightly proud of their town’s vibrant character, Blackpool is a great place to let your hair down and have some seriously good fun.
1. Funny Girls
Glitz, glamor, and laughs at this drag show par excellence
Good for: Couples, Food, Nightlife
Funny Girls drag show has been thrilling audiences for over 25 years from a stunning locale at the old Odeon theater on Blackpool’s North Shore. A real candidate for the wildest, most unique night out in the region, Funny Girls that has become as much a part of Blackpool as the tower or a stick of rainbow-colored rock.
Performers such as DJ Zoe and Betty Legs Diamond put on a rip-roaring show at Funny Girls, making this place one of the best-known nightlife venues in all of Blackpool, if not the UK. The gifted performers at Funny Girls perform a range of cabaret acts including singing, dancing, burlesque, and comedy. Read more
Location: 5 Dickson Rd, Blackpool FY1 2AX, United Kingdom
Open: Wednesday to Sunday from 7 pm to 11.30 pm, closed Monday and Tuesday
Phone: +44 1253 649150
Funny Girls
2. Bar hopping along The Promenade
Blackpool’s most vibrant area is home to dozens of bars and nightclubs
Good for: Food, Nightlife
Blackpool’s most famous street really comes to life around the north pier area, where the busiest bars and nightclubs are located. From Bavarian-themed beer halls to cheesy disco clubs, the Promenade is home to some of the best nightlife in town.
It is not all unadulterated hedonism here though, with more refined options including Latin themed cocktail bars and genuinely excellent local restaurants. This area is also home to a clutch of quality hotels and apartments, meaning it would be well worth booking something in the area if you plan to take advantage of the Promenade’s white-hot evening atmosphere. Read more
Bar hopping along The Promenade
3. Comedy Station Comedy Club
Blackpool’s original comedy club
Good for: Couples, Nightlife, Group
This buzzing temple of laughter sits in a prime position of Blackpool’s seafront, directly opposite the iconic Blackpool Tower. Since opening its doors in 2002, Comedy Station has been a mainstay of the town’s nightlife. Having played host to some of the region’s top comedic talent over the years, including Jason Manford, Justin Moorhouse, and Tape Face, this hotbed for talent remains immensely popular.
An ideal place to start off a night out in Blackpool, Comedy Station Comedy Club operates a range of events each Friday and Saturday evening. Comedy Station can get extremely busy during peak times, so it’s best to book your seats in advance.
Location: Comedy Station Comedy Club, Bank Hey St, Blackpool FY1 4RU, United Kingdom
Open: Thursday–Saturday from 7 pm to midnight
Phone: +44 (0)1253 381 381
Comedy Station Comedy Club
4. The Bootleg Social
Blackpool’s cool crowd flocks to this fancy spot
Good for: Couples, Food, Nightlife, Group
Hosting a range of events including live music, comedy, and even poetry jams, the Bootleg Social is a bastion of culture in central Blackpool. For years, the town was without a truly hip meeting place and nowadays this place flies the flag for everything niche, craft, or in any way unusual. From cultivated evenings spent sipping Malbec and sampling homemade pies to hedonistic affairs of lager-soaked rock music, the Bootleg is as diverse as the clientele it attracts.
If your favorite band or DJ is playing Blackpool, odds are they will be doing so here, so be sure to check out the Bootleg’s online listings. With trendy furniture and fashionable staff, the Bootleg Social is undoubtedly Blackpool’s coolest nightlife venue.
Location: 30 Topping St, Blackpool FY1 3AQ, UK
Open: Varies by event
Phone: +44 (0)1253 932 627
The Bootleg Social
5. Rhythm & Brew Room
A trendy bar with the town’s finest selections of regional beers
Good for: Families, Food, Nightlife
The local ale revolution that has swept across England finds its Blackpool home at Rhythm & Brew Room, a cozy pub with an outstanding selection of regional and national beers. Situated in the former Stanley Arms Hotel, a building bursting with old-world character, this pub offers all beers in full or half-pint form and the selection is enough to keep anybody happy.
Highlights include Joyston Stout and the Taste of Summer Blonde ale, though in truth there isn’t a bad ale on cask at Rhythm & Brews. This is simply one of Blackpool’s very best pubs, with leather couches and oak paneled walls lending the place a plush vibe that’s perfect for tucking into a homemade sausage sandwich. Read more
Location: 139 Church St, Blackpool FY1 3NU, United Kingdom
Open: Sunday to Thursday from midday to 11pm, Friday from midday to midnight, Saturday from 11 am to midnight
Phone: +44 (0)1253 319165
Rhythm & Brew Room
6. The Grand Theatre
Blackpool’s famous Christmas pantomime venue
Good for: Couples, Families, History, Nightlife
Every year at Christmastime, Blackpool becomes the national center for pantomimes, a fantastically over-the-top form of dramatic expression that is popular with the whole family. A visit to the town around the Christmas period is not complete without a panto and there’s really no better way to kick off an evening of shenanigans.
Of course the theater is open all year round, hosting comedy shows, touring musicals, and hot new plays, so check out what’s on during your visit. There are even occasional heritage tours for folks interested in this gorgeous old building and its backstage secrets. Read more
Location: 33 Church St, Blackpool FY1 1HT, UK
Open: Varies by event
Phone: +44 (0)1253 290190
The Grand Theatre
7. Winter Gardens
Home to some of the greatest shows in town
Good for: Couples, Families, Nightlife, Luxury
It goes without saying that Blackpool is a showbiz town and the Winter Gardens might just be the greatest venue of all. Playing host to a variety of elite performances in everything from music to comedy to theater, this local institution has been attracting crowds to its many and varied rooms for more than 140 years.
The most famous of all rooms at the Winter Gardens is the Empress Ballroom, an enormous and grand space that, upon opening in 1896, was one of the world’s largest ballrooms. Whether it’s a musical, a concert or indeed a ball, the Winter Gardens remains one of Blackpool’s most venerable nightlife venues. Read more
Location: 97 Church St, Blackpool FY1 1HL, United Kingdom
Open: Varies by event
Phone: +44 12536 29600
Winter Gardens
8. Blackpool Tower
The town’s most iconic structure is also a great nightlife venue
Good for: Families, Photo, Nightlife
Blackpool Tower is a legendary structure, an enduring symbol of the town and a source of great pride for local residents. What many people will not know, however, is that the tower boasts several top-notch nightlife venues within its hallowed walls.
Home to one of Britain’s oldest circus acts as well as a grand ballroom to compete with any in the nation, Blackpool Tower hosts some excellent events throughout the year including Northern Soul gatherings that provide a taste of authentic local culture from yesteryear. Check out what’s on and head here before painting the town red at one of the many nearby bars and nightclubs. Read more
Location: Promenade, Blackpool FY1 4BJ, UK
Open: Varies by event
Phone: +44 12536 22242
Blackpool Tower
9. Central Pier Showbar
Home to Blackpool’s finest (and cheesiest) cabaret performers
Good for: Families, Nightlife
A stalwart on the Blackpool nightlife scene, Central Pier Showbar has been putting on solid cabaret shows year after year. Billed as the greatest tribute show in town, the performance here features tribute acts from the likes of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Freddie Mercury and more.
Enjoying the live shows at Central Pier Showbar is great fun, with the acts themselves on top form for every show. Drinks are reasonably priced and there’s hearty pub fare on the menu to fill everyone’s bellies.
Location: Central Pier, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 5BB, UK
Open: Varies by event
Phone: +44 12536 23422
Central Pier Showbar
10. Little Black Pug Bar
A funky town center bar for music lovers
Good for: Couples, Nightlife
Named after the bar’s very own canine mascot, The Little Black Pug bar is one of the town’s newest and trendiest spots. Popular with locals and tourists seeking a taste of the region’s famous Northern soul culture, the Little Black Pug has helped to rejuvenate Blackpool’s music scene by paying homage to this niche genre that was once dominant throughout the north of England.
Heading to the Little Black Pug on a Friday or Saturday night means being flung into the heart of Blackpool nightlife, with great music, friendly clientele, and one of the best selections of drinks in the town. With quirky decor and a dedicated dance floor, The Little Black Pug is tailor-made for memorable, musical nights out.
Location: 13 Talbot Road, Blackpool FY1 1LB, UK
Open: Friday from 1 pm to 2 am, Saturday from midday to 2 am, Sunday from 1 pm to midnight
Phone: +44 (0)1253 299919
Little Black Pug Bar
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