Most displays are ticketed in advance, Coram’s Fields is free for adults with a child, there is no Victoria Park show this year and the ULEZ applies everywhere
Bonfire Night falls on Thursday 5 November in 2026, and London marks it across the weekends on either side. VisitLondon’s guide says that most event dates were still to be confirmed when it was written, so check each organiser before booking. This guide combines that list with a second guide that gives firmer dates and prices. The second is a JustPark marketing page, so its parking advice promotes its own service, and you should treat the prices as a guide only.
The Main Displays
The JustPark guide lists these dates. Wimbledon Park holds its display on Thursday 5 November itself, with gates open from 5.15pm, a young children’s show at 6.45pm and the main display at 8.30pm. Alexandra Palace holds its show on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, with gates open from 4pm both days, and the display at around 8pm on Saturday and 6pm on Sunday. Battersea Park is on the same weekend, with fireworks around 8.30pm on Saturday and 7pm on Sunday. Blackheath is on Saturday 7 November from 5pm to 10pm, with the display at 8pm, which is also the last entry time. Smaller displays are listed at Harrow, Walthamstow, Morden Park, Richmond on Sunday 1 November, Beckenham, Dulwich, Southgate and Chiswick.
The same guide notes there is no Victoria Park display in 2026, which matters for East Londoners who have relied on it.
What They Cost
Tickets are needed for nearly all of these. According to the JustPark guide, Alexandra Palace tickets start at 11.50 pounds, Battersea general admission for ages 16 and over starts at 16.70 pounds with youth tickets at 11.50 pounds, and under-5s need a free ticket. Blackheath costs 16 pounds for adults, 10 pounds for ages 11 to 15 and 5 pounds for under-10s, plus extra for fairground rides. VisitLondon’s list gives different prices for what appear to be last year’s or earlier listings: Alexandra Palace adults 18 pounds and children 12 pounds, Battersea Park adults 14.20 pounds, and Stow in Walthamstow adults 8 pounds. Because the two guides disagree, the sensible rule is to trust the organiser’s own booking page.
Most displays sell tickets in advance only, and VisitLondon advises that most tickets go on sale in early October. That means the best time to book is now. Some sell out, notably the cheap children’s tickets at Dulwich, which VisitLondon says are known as Kids for a quid.
The Free Options
Free options are rare. The JustPark guide says Coram’s Fields in Bloomsbury has a free display on 5 November, but adults must be accompanied by a child. That is a firm rule, and the park is a children’s space, so an adult without a child will not be admitted. Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath offers wide views over the city, though the guide notes park gates may close early in November. VisitLondon names Primrose Hill as a free alternative with panoramic views that gets very crowded. With both, you are watching other people’s fireworks from a distance, which is cheap and sometimes lovely.
Highlights Worth Knowing
VisitLondon lists a few features. Alexandra Palace combines fireworks with a drone display, a ghost tour and DJ sets, with a Halloween theme. Battersea Park has a large bonfire, fire dancers and acrobats, and a two-hour Thames cruise offers a view of the display. Stow Firework Spectacular in Walthamstow has a low-noise children’s display at 6pm, designed for children with sensory needs. Barnes runs a Best Guy competition, where the winner lights the bonfire. The Guy is the effigy of Guy Fawkes, which our own piece, Bonfire Night in London, fireworks for a man who failed, explains with some relish.
Our report on London Bonfire Night, when the city remembers the fifth covers the history, and our note on London fireworks, when the sky bursts into colour celebrates the spectacle.
Getting There
The JustPark guide gives transport tips. Alexandra Palace is served by Great Northern trains from Moorgate and King’s Cross, and Wood Green on the Piccadilly line is about a 20-minute walk. Alexandra Palace Way typically closes across the weekend. Battersea Park is served by Battersea Park and Queenstown Road stations, with Battersea Power Station on the Northern line within walking distance. Wimbledon Park is on the District line, at Wimbledon Park or Southfields. Blackheath station is a short walk from the common.
If you drive, the guide says the Congestion Charge is 18 pounds a day and applies to Coram’s Fields, which sits inside the zone, and that the ULEZ is 12.50 pounds a day for non-compliant vehicles and covers all the displays in the guide. Parking near the events goes quickly on the 7 and 8 November weekend. Public transport is the easier choice.
Practical Advice
VisitLondon’s tips are sound. Book early. Bring cash, since some vendors are cash-only, including at the Wembley, Brent and Harrow display. Dress warmly and waterproof. Arrive early, because food stalls, funfairs and entertainment are part of the evening. Check the forecast: wet weather can affect fireworks, and tickets are rarely refundable. And keep children and dogs in mind, since loud noise upsets both.
For more practical help, see our tourist survival guide, and for the wider magazine visit Bohiney Magazine. If you want your autumn with the edges softened, The Daily Squib is a fine companion. The final point of etiquette is the English one: stand where you can see, and do not hold your phone up in front of someone else.
SOURCE: bohiney.com
