# Surreal Seaside Festivals Blackpool Showzam is a Celebration of Extremes By Cowbag | Published 2009-05-01 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/showzam-festival-of-extremes-magical-surreal-conventions-at-out-of-season-s References: [bizarremag](http://www.bizarremag.com/bizarre-world/parties/7725/blackpool_showzam.html) & [showzam](http://www.showzam.co.uk) The Blackpool Showzam festival totally seems like my kind of festival; it's also held at out-of-season [seaside resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-last-resort-exhibition) like Blackpool, which makes me love it even more. Showzam is a [festival of extremes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/halsey-fest). This year's convention centered on a Marisa Carnesky’s Ghost Train. This attraction had been touring for years but moved to Blackpool permanently in 2008. It is the ultimate in [ghost trains](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ghost-walk-tours), combining mechanical mannequins with live actors. This looks like an amazing place to have been on a miserable February day in the UK. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.0/10 - Popularity: 20% | Activity: 1% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Modern](https://www.trendhunter.com/modern) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Seaside Festival Revival:** The rise of unique festivals in off-season beach locations is an opportunity for event planners to create novel experiences for attendees. - **Immersive Attractions:** Incorporating live actors into mechanical attractions like ghost trains provides an opportunity for amusement parks to take rides to the next level. - **Extreme Entertainment:** Focusing on extreme and thrilling experiences can differentiate festivals and events in a crowded market. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Event Planning:** The emergence of unconventional festivals in unexpected locations is a chance for event planners to create unique experiences that break from the norm. - **Amusement Parks:** Amusement parks can capitalize on the trend of adding live actors to mechanical attractions to create more immersive experiences for park guests. - **Entertainment:** The trend towards extreme and thrilling entertainment experiences presents opportunities for companies in the entertainment industry to develop novel and exciting offerings. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Whimsical Outdoor Festivals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/foffys-wonderland.md) - [Erie Halloween Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/black-lagoon.md) - [Thematic Large-Scale Light Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spooky-at-illumi.md) - [Immersive Light Festivals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lektrik-festival-of-lights.md) - [Elaborate Winter Activities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-city-of-harbin.md) - [Surreal Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jeffrey-deitch-art-gallery.md) - [Espresso Martini Festivals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/espresso-martini-festival.md) - [Vibrant City Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/craig-karl2.md) - [Sustainable Public Festivals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cloud-9-festival.md)