· 3 min read · October 13, 2026

Best places to celebrate Bonfire Night

Discover blazing bonfires and the most dazzling fireworks displays that you won't want to miss this Bonfire Night.

Bonfire Night falls on a Thursday this year, so many of the big displays have moved to the weekend of 7 and 8 November. A few traditionalists stick to the 5th, so check the date before you travel.

Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular | Maidstone

Leeds Castle, found in the Kentish village of Leeds rather than the city in West Yorkshire, comes alive on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November with a mesmerising display that combines fireworks, projections, lasers and music to create a treat for the eyes and the ears. This year the soundtrack is all about songs inspired by time.

The castle has a rich history, having housed royal residents such as Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, so you'll want to arrive early to explore its impressive grounds, which open at 2pm. There's plenty to keep you entertained before the fireworks begin at 5.30pm, including a maze, play areas for kids, falconry displays and the Dog Collar Museum, billed as the largest collection of its kind on public display anywhere in the world.

Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival | London

Perhaps the best way to see the capital's iconic skyline light up is at Ally Pally's legendary Fireworks & Drone Festival, which stretches across a full weekend for the first time on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. Saturday has the full festival atmosphere, with a headline outdoor DJ set from Eats Everything, a German Bier Festival, funfair rides, street food, ice skating, one huge bonfire and a fireworks and drone show at 8pm.

Sunday is an earlier, family-focused day, with a 6pm display, a jungle kids' rave and a karaoke singalong with Shaun Williamson, better known as Barry from EastEnders.

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In Tips & Advice October 2026

Tar Barrels Festival | Ottery St. Mary, Devon

You'll find some of the most unusual Bonfire Night celebrations in Ottery St. Mary at the unique Tar Barrels Festival, held on Thursday 5 November. Residents carry burning barrels of tar through the town's streets, lighting each one outside a local pub. Only people born in Ottery or running a business there can take part as barrel rollers, and the tradition is thought to date back to the 17th century. Its exact origins are a mystery, with theories ranging from a pagan ritual to a celebration of the failed Gunpowder Plot.

There's also one of the biggest bonfires in the South West on the banks of the River Otter, plus a funfair and food stalls to keep you entertained. Roads close from around 4pm, but buses and coaches are laid on to bring visitors in and out of town.

Lewes Bonfire | East Sussex

Lewes delivers a headline-worthy Bonfire Night thanks to the town's notorious processions, which always take place on 5 November itself. Controversial effigies depicting news events, politicians and everything in between are paraded through the town along with 17 large burning crosses, which remember the 17 Protestant martyrs burned in Lewes in the 1550s. Coupled with the impressive fireworks, it creates an unforgettable, lively atmosphere.

More than 30 processions wind through the streets from around 5pm until the early hours. Watching from the street is free, but entry to the individual bonfire sites is by ticket only, and there is no car parking in Lewes on the night, so plan your journey by train.

Fireworks at the Fort | Wallsend, Tyneside

There can't be many more dramatic locations to marvel at the fireworks than at Segedunum Roman Fort, originally built to guard the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall. The outdoor site opens at 5pm on Thursday 5 November, with free entry and a suggested donation of £2 per adult, before the sky lights up over the River Tyne from 6.30pm.

The museum and shop are closed for the event, and there is no on-site parking and only limited local parking, so public transport is the best way to get there. Dogs aren't allowed on site.