Breaking News in Blackburn
Stay informed with the most pressing and breaking stories from Blackburn. From major events to urgent updates, find it here.
Snow White Panto Launched at Historic Hoghton Tower
The magic of Christmas came early this year as the cast of the Blackburn Empire Theatre’s 2025 pantomime, Snow White, gathered at the historic Hoghton Tower for the official launch of the show.
What’s On in Blackburn: Monday 15 to Sunday 21 September 2025
Looking for things to do in Blackburn & Darwen this week? 🎉 Blackburn’s biggest and busiest What’s On Guide is back — with events for every taste and age! From gothic exhibitions and live music to comedy gigs, drama, Pokémon tournaments and wellbeing workshops, it’s all happening right here.
Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery is preparing to launch what’s being described as its most ambitious exhibition to date — a breathtaking showcase of rare books, manuscripts, artworks, and ceramics that explores how nature has inspired creative expression across centuries, cultures, and religions. The Nature of Gothic opens this weekend and runs through to December.
Plans are underway that could bring the biggest shake-up to Blackburn with Darwen’s local government in over 50 years — potentially ending its status as an independent council and merging it into a much larger East Lancashire authority. Residents, businesses and community groups are now being urged to have their say before final proposals are submitted in November.
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Older Blackburn News
Did you miss out? Here are some of the older stories and news about Blackburn and Darwen
What’s On in Blackburn: Monday 8 to Sunday 14 September 2025
Looking for things to do in Blackburn & Darwen this week? 🎉 Blackburn’s biggest and most exciting What’s On Guide is back — featuring comedy clubs, music legends, soul tours, and a huge 3-day community festival! Plus, new events are added every day. It’s also free to add your own events to the guide!
Songs From The Rat Pack – A Swinging Big Band Spectacular
Yorkshire’s premier Big Band brings the golden age of swing to Blackburn with a spectacular Rat Pack celebration this September.
This Week in Blackburn (Mon 01 – Sun 07 Sept 2025)
Looking for things to do in Blackburn & Darwen this week? 🎉 Blackburn’s biggest and busiest What’s On Guide is back — with over 40 new events added in the last 7 days! From legendary live music and comedy nights to community festivals, bingo, gaming and family fun, it’s all right here. Don’t forget — it’s completely free to add your own events too.
Blackburn News Archive
All the archived stories from Blackburn Life – News about Blackburn and Darwen
Blackburn’s King George’s Hall will again host a Remembrance Concert after two years’ absence due to the pandemic.
The BBC have announced that their Christmas Services on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be broadcast from Blackburn Cathedral.
Mobile network services are being upgraded in Blackburn boosting speed, performance and coverage. There is a small chance these improvements may cause interference to TV received through an aerial such as Freeview, BT, TalkTalk and YouView.
The Mall Blackburn has an out of this world line-up of free activities this half-term, which will culminate in a visit from Britain’s Got Talent’s super-sized semi-finalist Titan the Robot!
It’s been almost 50 years since Steeleye Span first performed at Blackburn’s King George’s Hall in September 1973!
The cast of the brand-new production of Cinderella at Blackburn Empire Theatre officially launched their Pantomime with a visit to Blackburn Town Centre this weekend.
With only three UK dates, dance sensation The Royal Family Dance Crew are bringing their European Tour to Blackburn on Sun 23 Oct 2022.
Turtle Bay Blackburn has announced a brand new cocktail menu as well as two new “Steel Bottom Beers” which will launch on 12th September, serving up some much needed sunshine as the Autumn months beckon.
As part of the Lancashire Encounters Festival 2022, 150 people will HOWL inside King George’s Hall as part of an arts festival.
Changes to business hours and opening for a whole range of local shops, venues and leisure attractions in the area.
Blackburn Cathedral will host a County Service of Thanksgiving for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday 18th September 2022 at 2pm
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council have announced a raft of closures and changes to council services for Monday 19 September, the day of the Queen’s funeral.
Official proclamations to mark the accession of the new monarch King Charles III will take place in Blackburn & Darwen on Sunday 11 September 2022.
Following its hugely successful weekly quiet hour for shoppers, The Mall Blackburn is extending the initiative to run six days a week.
Corporation Park is now home to a new Duck Feed Dispenser, becoming one of only a handful of councils in the UK to embrace this step in the ‘Feed the Ducks’ initiative.
Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery is holding its very first ART OPEN this October to showcase local art and talent.
The Search is on for Prince Charming to join the cast in a star-studded Cinderella Panto this Christmas
The Mall Blackburn is bringing the seaside inland with a two-week beachy bonanza of nautical themed free arts and crafts.
A new People’s Jury on the Climate Change Crisis is set to be held in Blackburn with Darwen.
King George’s Hall in Blackburn have announced their brand new Classics Season for 2022/23 and, as well as some familiar events, this season sees the CBeebies Prom come to town. You can also enjoy the magic of the James Bond Movies’ Music at a special concert.
The BBC has published a photo from one of its “Weather Watchers” stating it was taken in Blackburn.
Blackburn is to gain yet another Greggs bakery, this time in the heart of The Mall, in between Primark and H&M.
A popular pub in Darwen, The Crown and Thistle, on Roman Road, announced it would be closing its doors on Saturday 23rd July.
An Australian living in London has gone viral with her top tips to keep cool and manage in the current heatwave based on her experience from Down Under.
The Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson, and his wife Heather said farewell to The Church of England in Lancashire on Saturday during a service at Blackburn Cathedral.
Blackburn with Darwen Council’s health bosses are reminding people to stay safe in the expected extreme heat and follow relevant health advice.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea is celebrating 12 years on stage and over 50 years as Britain’s best-loved picture book! David Wood OBE is undisputedly the country’s leading writer and director of plays and musicals for children.
Blackburn Cathedral are appealing for 8 to 10 year old boys and girls to become part of the Cathedral Choirs.
A whole host of world-famous pianists will have an unprecedented opportunity to perform on the new generation flagship Yamaha CFX piano
Blackburn with Darwen will welcome the Queen’s Baton Relay in July – part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Our three local theatres, Blackburn Empire, King George’s Hall and Darwen Library Theatre have all now revealed their Christmas shows.
Supermarkets in Blackburn are facing scrutiny over their pricing of fuel, with concerns raised about the higher costs compared to nearby towns such as Preston and Bolton. The price disparity
Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, has written a message to the borough’s residents.
After several recent stories on social media about littering in the town and videos of the dumping of take-away rubbish in our streets, surely it’s time to clamp down on this disrespect for our town?
Angry customers are frustrated at the lack of communication from the organisers of the postponed SummerFest 2022, which was due to take place at Blackburn Rover’s football ground Ewood Park on 27th to 29th May.
As we celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, we have taken a look back at what Blackburn was like in the decade that Princess Elizabeth first became Queen.