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Best fireworks displays in London for families (Bonfire Night 2026)

By The London Scoop team✓ Last updated ⏱ 16 min read

Bonfire Night 2026 falls on a Thursday, which means London's big displays are spread across two weekends: Halloween weekend (31 October and 1 November) and the weekend of 7 and 8 November, with a handful brave enough to go on the night itself. These are the 12 we'd take our own children to, with an early, quieter show flagged wherever there is one. Every date, time and price below comes from the organiser's own website, checked on 24 October 2026. Where an organiser hasn't published a detail, we say so rather than guess.

🦊 Quick answer

October 2026: new guide. Not running this year, according to the councils and organisers we checked: Southwark Park, Clapham Common, Victoria Park and Crystal Palace Park. If you're after something gentler, see our Christmas with kids guide, which starts the following week.

The dates at a glance

How we chose: a spread across London, from free to full-blown festival, with at least one early or quieter show in most areas. Every pick is run by a council, charity, club or venue with a track record, and we only included displays whose 2026 date we could confirm on the organiser's own website.
In this guide (12 displays)
  1. At a glance
  2. Coram's Fields Fireworks Night
  3. Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival
  4. Enfield Town Park Fireworks: A Halloween Spooktacular
  5. Harrow Fireworks Display
  6. Battersea Park Fireworks
  7. Blackheath Fireworks
  8. Merton Fireworks in the Park (Wimbledon Park and Morden Park)
  9. Beckenham Charity Fireworks
  10. Stow Firework Spectacular
  11. Fireworks at the Gunpowder Mills
  12. Richmond's Family Fireworks Night: Halloween Spooktacular
  13. Trailfinders Sports Club Fireworks Party
  14. FAQs

At a glance

All 12 displays, grouped by area. Dates, times and prices checked against each organiser's own site on 24 October 2026.
NameDateAreaPriceAgesBooking
Coram's Fields Fireworks NightThu 5 NovBloomsbury, WC1Free (paid Fast-Track available)Families with children (adults only admitted with a child)Free entry, first come first served
Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone FestivalSat 7 & Sun 8 NovWood Green, N22From £6.50 (Sun) / from £11.50All ages (Sunday is the family day)Advance, via DICE
Enfield Town Park Fireworks: A Halloween SpooktacularSat 31 OctEnfield, EN2Check official siteAll agesAdvance tickets required
Harrow Fireworks DisplaySat 7 NovHarrow, HA3From £8All agesOnline; free entry 12–3pm
Battersea Park FireworksSat 7 & Sun 8 NovBattersea, SW11Adult £10.60–£18.10; 5–15 £11.50; under-5s freeAll ages (under-5s free, need a ticket)Advance only, no gate sales
Blackheath FireworksSat 7 NovBlackheath, SE3From £5 (0–10), £10 (11–15), £16 (16+)All agesAdvance tickets
Merton Fireworks in the Park (Wimbledon Park and Morden Park)Thu 5 Nov (Wimbledon Park), Sat 7 Nov (Morden Park)Wimbledon, SW19 / Morden, SM4Check official siteAll ages (under-4s free, no ticket needed)Advance only via See Tickets
Beckenham Charity FireworksSat 7 NovBeckenham, BR3Adult £18; 5–13 £6; 0–4 free (plus fees)All ages (0–4 free)Advance only, no gate sales
Stow Firework SpectacularThu 5, Fri 6 & Sat 7 NovWalthamstow, E17Adult £11; 6–15 £5; 0–5 £1; family £27All ages (everyone needs a ticket)Online only; Sat sold out
Fireworks at the Gunpowder MillsSat 7 NovWaltham Abbey, EN9 (Essex)Check official siteAll ages (under-18s must be with an adult)Advance tickets; prepaid parking
Richmond's Family Fireworks Night: Halloween SpooktacularSun 1 NovRichmond, TW9Check official siteAll agesAdvance only; grandstand sold out
Trailfinders Sports Club Fireworks PartyThu 5 NovWest Ealing, W13Online: adult from £11, child from £6.50All ages (under-16s must be accompanied)Online (cheaper) or on the night

Central London

1Free

Coram's Fields Fireworks Night

  • 📍 93 Guilford Street, WC1N 1DN
  • 📅 Thu 5 Nov: gates 3.30pm, fireworks 6pm, closes 7pm
  • 🎟 Free; optional paid Fast-Track on Eventbrite
  • ♿ Free accessible viewing, book ahead

The only proper display in central London that costs nothing, held in a children's park where grown-ups are only let in if they bring a child. It's on Bonfire Night itself, it's over by 7pm, and the fireworks start at 6pm, which is roughly when most under-5s start bargaining about bedtime anyway.

Scoop tip: Aim to be in the queue well before 4pm on a school night: once capacity is reached, the gates close. Coram's Fields broadcasts the show to Great Ormond Street Hospital next door, which is worth telling the kids.
Honest parent details

Live stage performances start in the afternoon, and there are fairground rides and food stalls. General entry is free and first come, first served until the park hits capacity, so arriving early is the whole strategy. A paid Fast-Track ticket on Eventbrite (one adult and one child, with add-ons) guarantees entry, though not a better view.

The details

  • Getting there: Russell Square is the nearest Tube. Guilford Street is closed to traffic during the event.
  • Good to know: Free accessible viewing must be booked in advance on the Coram's Fields website.
Official site Map

North London

2

Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival

  • 📍 Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY
  • 📅 Sat 7 Nov: display 8pm. Sun 8 Nov: display 6pm
  • 🎟 From £11.50 (Ally Pally); Sunday from £6.50 on DICE
  • 👶 Sunday Family Fun Day has reduced capacity

London's big one: fireworks, a drone show, a giant bonfire, a funfair and an ice rink, with the whole of London spread out below the hill. Saturday is billed as Party Night, with the display at 8pm. Sunday is the Family Fun Day, with reduced capacity, a 6pm display, a Junior Jungle kids' rave, marshmallow toasting and Barrioke with Shaun Williamson, which is a sentence we never expected to type.

Scoop tip: With children under about 8, Sunday is the clear choice: earlier, smaller crowds, and a rave where nobody's over four foot. The site is cashless with no parking, and chairs, large bags and sparklers aren't allowed.
Honest parent details

Gates open at 4pm on both days, and last entry is five minutes after the display starts (8.05pm Saturday, 6.05pm Sunday). Skating, the Summit rooftop and premium viewing cost extra.

The details

  • Getting there: Alexandra Palace station or Wood Green Tube, then up the hill. There's no event parking.
  • Bags: Large bags aren't allowed. Pack light.
Official site Map
3Halloween

Enfield Town Park Fireworks: A Halloween Spooktacular

  • 📍 Town Park, Enfield
  • 📅 Sat 31 Oct; times TBC, check the official site
  • 🎟 Advance tickets; prices TBC, check the official site

Enfield has merged Halloween and Bonfire Night into one evening, so children can wear the costume they've been campaigning for since September and still see fireworks. It's run by the council with the Dugdale Arts Centre, and it's the earliest display in this guide.

Scoop tip: Halloween night is busy everywhere. If trick-or-treating is also on the agenda, go to the display first and do the doorsteps on the walk home.
Honest parent details

Timings have shifted since the first poster went out, and we couldn't confirm the current times or ticket prices on the council's own pages, so check enfield.gov.uk/fireworks before you book.

The details

  • Box office: Dugdale Arts Centre, 39 London Road, EN2 6DS. Phone 0800 640 3928.
  • Unverified: Ticket prices and timings: see official site (enfield.gov.uk/fireworks).
Official site Map
4

Harrow Fireworks Display

  • 📍 Byron Park, Peel Road, HA3 7QX
  • 📅 Sat 7 Nov; musical display around 7.45pm
  • 🎟 From £8; free entry 12–3pm
  • ✨ New Diwali stage show for 2026

Harrow's display mixes Diwali with Guy Fawkes, and for 2026 it has added a Diwali stage show and a new inflatable zone, plus a Fizz Kids pre-show. The musical finale goes up at around 7.45pm.

Scoop tip: Do the free afternoon window with younger children, then go home. Buy tickets for the evening only if they're still bouncing at 3pm.
Honest parent details

The useful bit for parents: entry is free from 12 to 3pm, so you can do the rides and food stalls in daylight and decide later whether anyone is staying up for the main event. It's also the last year at Byron Park: the display moves to a new venue in 2027.

The details

  • VIP: There are VIP upgrades on the organiser's site.
Official site Map

South London

5

Battersea Park Fireworks

  • 📍 Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ
  • 📅 Sun 8 Nov: gates 4.30pm, fireworks ~7pm. Sat 7 Nov: gates 6pm, fireworks ~8.30pm
  • 🎟 Adults £10.60–£18.10 by release; youth 5–15 £11.50; under-5s free with ticket
  • 👪 Max 4 under-18s per adult

Run by Wandsworth Council, and the two nights are genuinely different shows. Saturday is the late one, with a DJ set from Rudimental and fireworks around 8.30pm. Sunday is earlier, with fireworks around 7pm, Lords of Lightning and a Taylor Swift tribute act, which will make you very popular with anyone aged 7 to 13.

Scoop tip: For a family with primary-age children, Sunday wins: gates at 4.30pm, half-price rides straight away, fireworks at 7pm and home by bath time. There's no re-admission, so do the loo trip before you get through the gates.
Honest parent details

Tickets are advance-only and card-only. Under-5s go free but still need a ticket. There's a happy hour of half-price rides: 4.30–5.30pm on Sunday and 6–7pm on Saturday.

The details

  • Getting there: Battersea Park and Queenstown Road stations are both a short walk away. Sparklers aren't allowed.
  • Prices: Adult tickets started at £10.60 (super early bird) and rise with each release to £18.10 (final release).
Official site Map
6

Blackheath Fireworks

  • 📍 Blackheath, SE3
  • 📅 Sat 7 Nov: gates 5pm, fireworks 8pm, closes 10pm
  • 🎟 From £5 (0–10), £10 (11–15), £16 (16+); family tickets
  • 👪 Max 4 children per adult

One of London's best-loved displays, back on the heath for 2026 and run by Slammin Events for Lewisham Council. Fireworks at 8pm, with a big open sky and the City skyline behind.

Scoop tip: Scooters, chairs and sparklers aren't allowed, and bags are limited to A4. Blackheath station is about seven minutes' walk away.
Honest parent details

Ticket prices are refreshingly low for south London, there are family tickets including single-parent options, and some tickets are set aside for families on low incomes. Rides cost extra.

The details

  • Last entry: 8pm.
  • Children: A maximum of four children per adult, and ages may be checked against ID.
Official site Map
7

Merton Fireworks in the Park (Wimbledon Park and Morden Park)

  • 📍 Wimbledon Park (Thu 5 Nov) and Morden Park (Sat 7 Nov)
  • 📅 Gates 5.15pm; early show 6.45pm; second show 8.30pm
  • 🎟 Advance only; under-4s don't need a ticket
  • 🎡 New observation wheel

Merton's council-run displays do something every display should: two shows a night, with the 6.45pm one described as better suited to young children. Wimbledon Park hosts on Bonfire Night itself and Morden Park on the Saturday.

Scoop tip: Book the 6.45pm show with under-6s and pack ear defenders. The council itself suggests them, which tells you everything about the volume.
Honest parent details

There's baby changing, a wellbeing area for anyone who gets overwhelmed, and wristbands for children in case you get separated. The funfair closes at 10pm.

The details

  • Tickets: Not sold at the venue. We couldn't find 2026 prices on Merton's own pages, so check the See Tickets link from merton.gov.uk/fireworks.
  • Getting there: There's no car parking. Wheelchair viewing areas are available.
Official site Map
8Quiet display

Beckenham Charity Fireworks

  • 📍 Croydon Road Recreation Ground, BR3
  • 📅 Sat 7 Nov: gates 4.30pm, quiet display 6pm, main display 7.30pm
  • 🎟 Adult 14+ £18; child 5–13 £6; infant 0–4 free; concession £12.50 (plus fees)

Run by volunteers from the 5th Beckenham South Scout Group since 1946, and the money goes to charity: more than £250,000 raised in the last seven years. Two displays set to music on one ticket: a quieter 6pm show for smaller children and the main show at 7.30pm.

Scoop tip: Bring cash: some rides and stalls are cash-only and there's no ATM in the park. Clock House station is about 11 minutes' walk away.
Honest parent details

The details

  • Not allowed: Pets, alcohol, sparklers and fireworks.
  • Access: Wheelchair users should enter by the Croydon Road gate.
Official site Map

East London (and just over the border)

9Best value

Stow Firework Spectacular

  • 📍 Walthamstow Cricket, Tennis & Squash Club, Greenway Avenue, E17 3QN
  • 📅 Gates 4pm; twilight display 6pm; main display 8pm
  • 🎟 Adult £11; 6–15 £5; 0–5 £1; family (2+2) £27; no booking fees

A community display over three nights with two shows each night: a calmer twilight display at 6pm for younger children, and the main event at 8pm. It's the best value in this guide, with no booking fees and a £1 ticket for under-6s, which is less than the hot chocolate.

Scoop tip: Go on Thursday or Friday and stay for the 6pm twilight show only. You'll be home before the main display starts, and nobody will know you left early.
Honest parent details

Saturday sold out in early October. When we checked, Thursday had good availability and Friday was limited.

The details

  • Tickets: Online only, and everyone needs one, including babies.
  • Last entry: 8pm.
Official site Map
10

Fireworks at the Gunpowder Mills

  • 📍 Beaulieu Drive, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1JY
  • 📅 Sat 7 Nov, 4.30–8pm; fireworks planned for 7.40pm; last entry 6.45pm
  • 🎟 Child tickets cover under-18s; check prices online

Strictly speaking this is just over the border in Essex, but it's an easy trip from north-east London, and you won't find a more on-the-nose venue for Bonfire Night: a site that made gunpowder for 300 years.

Scoop tip: On-site parking is limited and must be added to your order in advance. Without a prepaid ticket you can't park there, so walk in or use public transport.
Honest parent details

Before the display there's a children's entertainer, fire performers, musket demonstrations, a UV glow disco and Guy Fawkes himself, presumably on his best behaviour. Rides and glow stalls cost extra.

The details

  • Not allowed: Sparklers, dogs, alcohol, and your own food and drink.
  • Unverified: Ticket prices weren't shown on the page we checked. See gunpowdermills.com.
Official site Map

West London

11Halloween

Richmond's Family Fireworks Night: Halloween Spooktacular

  • 📍 Richmond Athletic Ground, Twickenham Road, TW9 2SF
  • 📅 Sun 1 Nov: gates 4.30pm, last entry 6.30pm, fireworks 7pm
  • 🎟 Advance only, no gate sales
  • 🚗 Parking must be booked in advance

A Halloween-themed display choreographed to music by Phoenix Fireworks, on a Sunday, starting at 7pm. That makes it the most school-night-friendly display in west London, even though it isn't on a school night.

Scoop tip: Last entry is strictly 6.30pm and all bags are searched, so allow time. Richmond station is under five minutes' walk away, which is the best transport link of any display in this guide.
Honest parent details

There's a funfair with a happy hour from 4.30pm, more than 20 food and drink stalls and live entertainment from 5.30pm. It has sold out four years running, and the grandstand tickets have gone already.

The details

  • Under-5s: They still need a ticket, booked with an adult.
  • Food: You can't bring your own food or drink in. The funfair and stalls stay open until 9pm.
  • Unverified: We couldn't read 2026 ticket prices on the club's page. Check the ticket link there.
Official site Map
12

Trailfinders Sports Club Fireworks Party

  • 📍 Vallis Way, West Ealing, W13 0DD
  • 📅 Thu 5 Nov: gates 5.30pm, display 7.30pm, ends 9pm
  • 🎟 Online: adults from £11, children from £6.50. On the night: £18 and £12

Ealing's Bonfire Night party at the rugby club, on the fifth itself, with stilt walkers, fire breathers, a laser show and street food before a 7.30pm display. Child tickets are only sold with a paying adult.

Scoop tip: Parking is limited and only available before 6.30pm, so if you're driving, arrive early. Better still, get the bus.
Honest parent details

Buying online saves a lot: adult tickets are from £11 online and £18 on the night, and children's from £6.50 online versus £12.

The details

  • Getting there: Buses E2, E7, E9, E10 and 297 serve Scotch Common.
  • Not allowed: Your own food, and big bags.
Official site Map

Fireworks with small children: what actually helps

Once the smoke clears, the Christmas season starts almost immediately: Regent Street's lights switch on on Bonfire Night itself. See Christmas things to do with kids in London and the best Santa's grottos.

FAQs

When is Bonfire Night 2026?

Thursday 5 November 2026. Because it's a school night, most of London's big displays are on the weekends either side: Sat 31 Oct and Sun 1 Nov, and Sat 7 and Sun 8 Nov.

What are the best free fireworks displays in London in 2026?

Coram's Fields in Bloomsbury runs a free display on Thu 5 Nov (gates 3.30pm, fireworks 6pm), first come, first served, and adults must come with a child. Harrow's Byron Park event has free entry from 12 to 3pm on Sat 7 Nov, but you need a ticket for the evening display. Most other displays are ticketed.

Which London fireworks displays are best for toddlers?

Go for an early show: Coram's Fields (6pm), Stow's twilight display (6pm), Beckenham's quieter display (6pm), Merton's first show (6.45pm) and Alexandra Palace's Family Fun Day on Sun 8 Nov (6pm). Take ear defenders.

Are Battersea Park fireworks on in 2026?

Yes. Battersea Park Fireworks runs on Sat 7 Nov (fireworks around 8.30pm) and Sun 8 Nov (fireworks around 7pm). Tickets are advance-only. Youth 5–15 tickets are £11.50, adults £10.60–£18.10 depending on the release, and under-5s are free but need a ticket.

Is Alexandra Palace fireworks good for kids?

Yes, especially the Family Fun Day on Sun 8 Nov: reduced capacity, a 6pm display, a kids' rave and marshmallow toasting. Saturday's Party Night has a later display at 8pm. Tickets are on DICE, with Sunday from £6.50 when we checked.

Are Clapham Common, Victoria Park and Southwark Park fireworks on in 2026?

Not according to the councils' and organisers' announcements we checked. Crystal Palace Park isn't running a display either. Nearby alternatives include Battersea Park, Blackheath and Stow in Walthamstow.

Can you buy fireworks display tickets on the gate?

Usually not. Battersea, Merton, Beckenham, Richmond and Stow are advance-only. Trailfinders in Ealing sells tickets on the night, but they cost more. Coram's Fields is free with no ticket.

Can I bring sparklers to a fireworks display?

No. Almost every organised display in London bans sparklers, along with your own fireworks. Many also restrict bag sizes and don't allow chairs or scooters.

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