Bonfire Night 2026 falls on Thursday 5 November, so London's fireworks are spread across two weekends, from Halloween night through to Sunday 8 November. The biggest night of all is Saturday 7 November.
This guide pairs each of the best displays with a food market close by, so you can eat properly before the gates open instead of queuing in the cold for a burger once you're inside. Every market below is open on the day of its display, and we've checked the times so you won't arrive to shut stalls.
Quick tip: aim to finish eating about an hour before the main fireworks. Gates get busy fast, and the best viewing spots go early.
Bonfire Night 2026 at a glance
| Date | Display | Main fireworks | Adult ticket | Eat before at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 31 Oct | Herne Hill Velodrome | 7pm | £14 | Brixton Village Market |
| Thu 5 Nov | Coram's Fields, Bloomsbury | 6pm | Free (with a child) | Seven Dials Market |
| Thu 5 to Sat 7 Nov | Stow Firework Spectacular, Walthamstow | 8pm | £11 | Walthamstow Market |
| Sat 7 Nov | Blackheath | 8pm | £16 | Cutty Sark Street Food Market & Greenwich Market |
| Sat 7 Nov | Cassiobury Park, Watford | 7:30pm | Free | Hello Watford Food Hall |
| Sat 7 & Sun 8 Nov | Alexandra Palace | 8pm Sat, 6pm Sun | £18 | Alexandra Palace Farmers' Market (Sun) |
| Sat 7 & Sun 8 Nov | Battersea Park | 8:30pm | £18 | Nine Elms Market (Sun) |
Times and prices are for adults and were correct when we published. Always check the organiser's website before you travel, as popular nights sell out.
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Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival
Saturday 7 November (party night, 8pm display) and Sunday 8 November (family day, 6pm display). Gates 4pm, from £18.
Ally Pally is London's biggest Bonfire Night: fireworks and a drone show over a panoramic view of the city, plus a huge bonfire and a funfair. Saturday is the grown-up party night; Sunday's earlier display is the one to pick with kids.
Eat before: Alexandra Palace Farmers' Market (Sunday)
If you're going on Sunday, you don't even need to leave the park. Alexandra Palace Farmers' Market runs every Sunday from 10am to 3pm in the park grounds, so a late lunch here and a wander round the park takes you nicely up to gate opening.
What to get:
- Smurkey: giant slow-smoked turkey legs and pulled turkey boxes. Proper cold-night comfort food.
- Fiesta Gozleme: Turkish flatbreads cooked fresh on the griddle. The spinach & cheese gozleme is a great vegetarian pick.
- Biltong Boss: South African biltong, an easy snack to pocket for the display.
- Galeta Bakery: pastries and bakes for something sweet afterwards.
Going on Saturday instead? The farmers' market isn't on, so plan to eat at the festival's own street food stalls and arrive soon after the gates open at 4pm to beat the queues.
Blackheath Fireworks
Saturday 7 November. Gates 5pm, fireworks 8pm, from £16. Funfair.
One of south-east London's best-loved displays, set out on the open heath.
Eat before: Cutty Sark Street Food Market & Greenwich Market
Greenwich sits right at the bottom of the hill from Blackheath, which makes it the perfect warm-up. Greenwich Market is open until 5:30pm, and the Cutty Sark Street Food Market runs until 6:30pm on Saturdays, so you can eat around 5pm and then walk up to the heath (roughly 25 to 30 minutes, uphill) in good time for the 8pm show.
What to get: a hand-made pie, sausage roll or Scotch egg from Finest Fayre is about as Bonfire Night as food gets, and easy to eat on the walk.
Cassiobury Park Fireworks, Watford (free)
Saturday 7 November. Gates 6pm, fireworks 7:30pm. Free entry.
One of the biggest free displays within easy reach of London.
Eat before: Hello Watford Food Hall
Hello Watford Food Hall on the High Street is open until 10pm on Saturdays, has around 15 kitchens under one roof, and is roughly a 15-minute walk from Cassiobury Park. It's warm and indoors, so it's ideal before (or after) a cold night out, and it takes table bookings.
What to get:
- Bombay Classic: Mumbai street food like vada pav and pav bhaji, with halal, vegan and vegetarian options.
- Greekos Gyros: hot gyros wraps, quick to eat.
- DimSum Daily: pan-fried dumplings and bao to share.
Coram's Fields, Bloomsbury (free, for families)
Thursday 5 November, on Bonfire Night itself. Gates 3:30pm, fireworks 6pm. Free entry.
The only proper display in central London. It's a children's park, so adults can only go in with a child, and the early start is aimed at little ones.
Eat before: Seven Dials Market
Seven Dials Market in Covent Garden is open until 11pm on Thursdays and is about a 20-minute walk from Coram's Fields. With more than 20 kitchens indoors, everyone in the family can pick something different, and you can come back for dessert afterwards.
What to get: burgers from Bleecker (with vegan and gluten-free options), and a warming chai from Chai Guys to take with you.
Stow Firework Spectacular, Walthamstow
Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November. Gates 4pm, main display 8pm, from £11.
Three nights of fireworks, fire performers and a funfair at Walthamstow Cricket, Tennis & Squash Club. Saturday has already sold out, so go for Thursday or Friday.
Eat before: Walthamstow Market
Walthamstow Market on the High Street is one of the longest street markets in Europe and has plenty of street food. It closes at 5pm on Thursday and Friday, so this one is an early dinner: eat around 3:30 to 4:30pm, then head over as the gates open. The event also has its own street food village if you get peckish later.
Herne Hill Velodrome Halloween Fireworks
Saturday 31 October. Gates 5pm, bonfire lit 6pm, fireworks 7pm, £14.
The first big display of the season, on Halloween night, with a proper bonfire.
Eat before: Brixton Village Market
Brixton Village Market is open until midnight on Saturdays and is a short train or bus ride from Herne Hill. Its covered arcades are packed with independent kitchens from around the world, so it works just as well before the fireworks as it does for a drink afterwards.
Battersea Park Fireworks
Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. Gates 6pm, fireworks 8:30pm, from £18. Funfair.
A big riverside display with a fairground. Saturday is the busier, bigger night.
Eat before: Nine Elms Market (Sunday)
If you're going on Sunday, Nine Elms Market runs from 8am to 2pm, about a 20-minute walk from the park, with street food from jerk chicken to tacos. It's an early finish, so make a day of it: lunch at the market, a walk along the river, then the fireworks in the evening.
Tips for a better Bonfire Night
- Book ahead. Walthamstow's Stow Firework Spectacular has sold out four years running, and its Saturday night has already gone this year.
- Eat before the gates. Food queues inside are longest just before the main display. Eating nearby beforehand is cheaper and means you get a better spot.
- Bring some cash. Some stalls at fireworks events are cash only.
- Layer up. You'll be standing outside in the dark for one to two hours. Gloves and a hat make all the difference.
- Pick the right show for kids. Look for earlier family displays: Coram's Fields at 6pm, Ally Pally's Sunday 6pm show, and Beckenham's low-noise display at 6pm on Saturday 7 November.
- Check before you travel. Times can change with the weather, so check the organiser's site on the day.
More festive plans in November
Bonfire Night is also the start of the festive season. Regent Street's Christmas lights switch on the same evening, Thursday 5 November. See our London Christmas Lights Switch-on Dates 2026 guide, and start planning December with our UK Christmas Events Calendar 2026.
Looking for somewhere else to eat? Browse all our London food markets to find street food near you.
