Bonfire Night 2026: The UK's Best Fireworks Displays, Region by Region
Your guide to every major Bonfire Night fireworks display happening across the UK this November.
UK Bonfire Night 2026: Full List of Dates and Places to Watch Fireworks
Bonfire Night falls on Thursday 5 November 2026 but because that's a midweek date, most of the UK's big organised displays have shifted to the closest weekend, so you've realistically got two or three dates to plan around depending on where you're headed. Here's the pick of them:
Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire — Saturday 31 October
Lewes, East Sussex — Thursday 5 November (the one town that always sticks to the actual date)
Alexandra Palace, London — Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November
Battersea Park, London — Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November
Leeds Castle, Kent — Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November
Winchester, Hampshire — Saturday 7 November
Mayflower Park, Southampton — Saturday 7 November
Abingdon Airfield, Oxfordshire — Saturday 14 November
Book Your Bonfire Night Parking Before Displays Sell Out
Book your Bonfire Night 2026 Parking with JustPark.
Whichever display you're heading to, on-site and on-street parking around these venues gets snapped up fast once tickets go on sale. Booking a driveway or private space in advance means:
A convenient space waiting for you — no circling side streets while the fireworks start without you.
A choice of price points, from short walks near the display to cheaper spots a little further out.
The option to extend your stay through the app if the afterparty runs on longer than planned.
Savings on last-minute, on-the-day rates, which tend to spike as soon as an event sells out.
Access to quieter residential streets away from the coach parks and taxi queues right by the gates.
What Is Bonfire Night and Why Do We Celebrate It?
Bonfire Night marks the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and a group of conspirators were caught trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament and assassinate King James I. Fawkes was discovered guarding barrels of gunpowder in the cellars beneath Parliament on the night of 4–5 November, and celebratory bonfires were lit across London that same night in relief that the plot had been foiled.
The tradition of bonfires, fireworks, and burning effigies on 5 November has continued in the UK ever since, and today it's less about the history and more about the fireworks, food stalls, and fairground rides that come with it.
The UK's Best Bonfire Night Events 2026
Ascot Racecourse Fireworks Spectacular: Where to Park
Book your parking near Ascot Racecourse rather than risk the queues out of the main car parks once the display ends.
Ascot kicks off the season a few days early with its Fireworks Spectacular Family Raceday on Saturday 31 October, combining jump racing with Berkshire's largest fireworks display — a pyro-musical show with more than 20,000 individual effects.
Where: Ascot Racecourse, High Street, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7JX
When: Saturday 31 October 2026, fireworks after racing concludes
Ascot Station is a short walk from the racecourse if you'd rather take the train from London Waterloo or Reading.
Lewes Bonfire Night Parking and Travel Tips
Lewes stays true to the original date and throws the UK's most famous Bonfire Night celebration, run by the town's historic bonfire societies. With 5 November landing on a Thursday this year, organisers are expecting particularly high turnout, torchlit processions through the town, and burning effigies well into the evening.
Where: Lewes town centre, East Sussex
When: Thursday 5 November 2026, processions typically begin early evening
Lewes closes its town centre to traffic and suspends rail services through the station on the night, so book parking near Lewes in advance and plan to walk in from just outside the centre.
Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival Parking Guide
Reserve parking near Alexandra Palace
Ally Pally's festival has grown into a full weekend for 2026, running across Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. Saturday brings a headline DJ set from Eats Everything alongside a German Bier Festival and funfair, while Sunday is styled as a Family Fun Day with the drone and fireworks show moved earlier to 6pm. Drone specialists Celestial return for a third year, fresh from their Britain's Got Talent run earlier in 2026.
Where: Alexandra Palace, London N22
When: Saturday 7 (evening) and Sunday 8 November (family show from 6pm)
There's no public car park at Alexandra Palace itself and road closures are in place on the night, so reserve parking near Alexandra Palace on a nearby driveway rather than hoping for a space on the surrounding streets.
Alexandra Palace and Wood Green stations are both within a 10–15 minute walk if you're coming by train or Tube.
Battersea Park Fireworks: Where to Park Nearby
Reserve a space near Battersea Park ahead of time — residential streets around the park fill quickly once gates open.
South London's biggest display also runs across Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November this year. Saturday's line-up includes a Rudimental DJ set and a Disco Ceilidh after the display; Sunday features Arcadia's Lords of Lightning show and a Pop Anthems afterparty.
Where: Battersea Park, London SW11
When: Saturday 7 November (gates 6pm, fireworks c.8.30pm) and Sunday 8 November (gates 4.30pm, fireworks c.7pm)
Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular Parking Guide
Book parking near Leeds Castle ahead of your visit, particularly if you're travelling in from further across Kent for the evening.
Leeds Castle's fireworks weekend runs Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, with this year's display choreographed to songs about time and the main show starting at 5.30pm both nights.
Where: Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL
When: Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026, display begins 5.30pm
Winchester Bonfire and Fireworks: Where to Park
Winchester Round Table's charity event is one of the city's biggest nights out, opening with a free torchlit procession from the Guildhall through the High Street and Jewry Street before the ticketed bonfire and fireworks display at North Walls Recreation Ground.
Where: North Walls Recreation Ground, Winchester (procession starts at Winchester Guildhall)
When: Saturday 7 November 2026, procession from around 6pm
With the High Street closed for the procession, book parking near Winchester rather than driving into the centre that evening.
Southampton Fireworks Parking Near Mayflower Park
Find parking near Southampton close to Mayflower Park before the surrounding streets fill up with match-day levels of traffic.
Southampton's display returns to Mayflower Park under the banner "The POP Explosion," with fireworks choreographed to pop hits and tickets from £7.
Where: Mayflower Park, Southampton SO15
When: Saturday 7 November 2026, gates open 4pm, event closes 10pm
Abingdon Funfair & Fireworks Parking Guide
Book parking near Abingdon in advance — traffic around the airfield has caused delays in previous years as thousands arrive for the same start time.
Billed as one of the UK's biggest fireworks displays, Abingdon's event runs a week later than most, combining a funfair, bonfire, and a fireworks, light and laser spectacular at Abingdon Airfield.
Where: Abingdon Airfield, Oxfordshire
When: Saturday 14 November 2026, 2pm–9pm
Quick FAQs about Bonfire Night 2026
Is Bonfire Night a bank holiday in the UK?
No. 5 November isn't a bank holiday anywhere in the UK, which is one reason so many towns and cities move their main firework displays to the nearest Saturday rather than the date itself.
Why do some displays happen on different dates to 5 November?
Large organised events need road closures, stewarding, and emergency planning that are easier to run at a weekend, so councils and venues often schedule their main show for the Saturday or Sunday closest to Bonfire Night. Lewes is the notable exception, sticking to the actual date every year.
Do I need to book parking in advance for Bonfire Night events?
It's worth it. Road closures, one-way systems, and high demand around these venues mean on-the-day parking is unreliable at best, and streets near popular displays fill up well before the fireworks start.
Are these fireworks displays free to attend?
Some are ticketed (Battersea Park, Leeds Castle, Ascot, Southampton, Winchester and Abingdon all sell tickets), while Lewes's town-wide celebrations and the free elements of Alexandra Palace's Family Fun Day don't require a ticket to watch from the street.
Live Near One of These Displays? Earn Extra Income by Renting Out Your Driveway
If you live near any of the venues above, Bonfire Night is one of the busiest nights of the year for parking demand — and that's a genuine earning opportunity. Hosts near sports grounds and event venues have seen income uplifts of up to 57% during major events compared with an average week, simply by listing an unused driveway or parking space.
You can set specific pricing for high-demand nights like these using scheduled pricing, so you charge more when demand peaks and let it settle back down afterwards.
Ready for Bonfire Night?
Wherever you're headed this November, sort your parking before the night itself so you can focus on the fireworks, not the traffic. Book early, arrive relaxed, and enjoy the show.
