Blackpool Opera House was transformed into a breathtaking celebration of music, creativity and community spirit on Sunday 26 July as over 2,500 people travelled from all across the North West to join local people for the spectacular free concert The People’s Stage.

The extraordinary event brought together a once-in-a-lifetime cast of internationally acclaimed artists, world-class musicians and homegrown talent to the Blackpool stage for an unforgettable evening of live entertainment to showcase the cultural confidence and creative ambition behind Blackpool’s UK City of Culture 2029 campaign.

Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, soulful superstar Jack Savoretti and Manchester’s world-renowned Hallé Orchestra led a star-studded line-up of creatives, all beautifully orchestrated by Musical Director Joe Duddell, and all with a love for Blackpool and David Bowie, to champion Blackpool’s UK City of Culture bid and celebrate the V&A’s David Bowie: On Tour visit to Showtown museum in 2027.

They were joined by acclaimed actor Tom Burke (Legends, Strike), the incredible All-Star House Band featuring members of iconic northern bands James, The Stone Roses and The Courteneers, and Northern Soul favourite Darrell Smith, along with Blackpool’s own electronic pop sensation Little Boots and singer-songwriter Rae Morris, for a stunning series of orchestral interpretations of David Bowie’s greatest songs and some of their own top hits.

Little Boots said: “What an incredible evening for Blackpool to see such diverse and brilliant talent come together for an unforgettable evening, I felt incredibly proud and believe Blackpool is absolutely worthy and deserving of this bid!”

Specially commissioned performances for the event also included a powerful new Blackpool-inspired lyric by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage read by Harry Clayton-Wright and backed by Blackpool’s own Electric Pink Voices LGBTQ+ Choir, and an original spoken word piece by Blackpool poet Nathan Parker; reinforcing the town’s rich artistic talent alongside internationally renowned performers.

The exhilarating evening of orchestral music, rock, pop and spoken word was a bold celebration of creativity and collaboration, and ended with a rousing rendition of David Bowie’s Heroes from the all-star cast as the audience jumped to their feet in rapturous applause.

Hosted by Blackpool-born broadcaster and musician John Robb, The People’s Stage was co-curated by Saul Davies of James alongside Spencer Phillips, Chair of Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust, John Robb and Musical Director Joe Duddell – whose acclaimed orchestral collaborations include James, Elbow, New Order and the Hallé.

Over 10,000 requests for tickets to the free ballot for the event were received, showing both the local appetite for cultural events in Blackpool, as well as good feeling towards the City of Culture bid.

Spencer Phillips said: “The atmosphere inside the Opera House was simply incredible. From the very first performance by Blackpool’s own Little Boots you could feel just how special the evening was, and by the Heroes finale the audience were all on their feet celebrating together. It was everything we hoped The People’s Stage could be. It was ambitious, joyful, moving and uniquely Blackpool. This wasn’t just a concert; it was a statement about the creativity, confidence and cultural ambition of our town. Everyone who performed, everyone behind the scenes and everyone in the audience helped to make it an unforgettable night.”

Councillor Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “Last night was something really special. It was one of those occasions that reminded us exactly why we are so proud of Blackpool. It wasn’t just a fantastic concert, it was a celebration of who we are. We saw world-class artists sharing the stage with local talent, an audience full of people who care deeply about this town, and an atmosphere of optimism, pride and togetherness. Our City of Culture bid is about so much more than a title.

“It’s about creating opportunities for local people, inspiring the next generation and giving Blackpool the national recognition it deserves for the creativity that has always existed here. As John Robb said – this was a civic statement. It showed the country the confidence, ambition and imagination that Blackpool has in abundance. There really is nowhere quite like Blackpool.”

The People’s Stage was presented by Blackpool Council in association with Showtown, and in partnership with Elite Competitions, with support from Glasdon. Alex Beckett, CEO of Elite Competitions, said: ” It was great to see The People’s Stage come to life and bring so many people together to celebrate creativity, talent and the community. The scale of the event, the performances and the atmosphere showed exactly what makes this town special. We’re proud to have played a small part in supporting such an important moment and look forward to seeing how the bid continues to progress.”

The UK City of Culture is a title given every four years to a UK city or local area. Blackpool has currently been longlisted to the second round for 2029 and is in the running against 8 other cities. Blackpool isn’t technically a city, but the title is open to all large places, and as the 45th largest place in the UK, Blackpool is bigger than some cities.

If Blackpool’s bid is successful, it would receive £10m to host a year-long celebration of arts and culture designed for local people, while boosting the visitor economy, creating new jobs and strengthening the town’s creative identity for years to come. This would transform the nation’s favourite playground into a bold, brilliant celebration of creativity, joy and shared wonder.

Click here to Back the Bid for Blackpool as UK City of Culture 2029.