Remember, remember, the 5th of November: gunpowder, treason and plot. We know no reason why fireworks season should ever cost a lot. Happy Bonfire Night, Cheapos! A night of flames and fireworks, Bonfire Night is an age-old tradition celebrating the failure of the infamous plot to kill King James the First, who — thanks to some police intervention and a little snitching — survived. It's also known as Guy Fawkes Night; the best known of the plotters may look familiar if you've seen V for Vendetta, or watched a political protest on the news recently. Nowadays we celebrate with bonfires and fireworks in locals parks, with toffee apples, mulled wine and the quiet murmurs of 'ooooh' and 'ahhhh' as we huddle together on a chilly November evening. It's possibly the best night of the year (100% the case, if you ask me), so learn about the history then head on down to one of the events in the city! The History, Condensed The Gunpowder Plot was the creation of a small group of Catholics intent on blowing up the Houses of Parliament on November 5th 1605, during the official State Opening ceremony. With a complex history of Catholics vs. Protestants as the head of state and incidents of torture and execution, the marginalised Catholics were determined to replace the King, and had to kill him to do so. They decided on an explosion and set about their work, collecting gunpowder in the basement below the Houses. However, the plot was ruined as an anonymous letter was sent in late October, informing officials of the intentions and the group was caught red-handed on November 4th. Guy Fawkes was found guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder — enough to destroy the Houses of Parliament completely - whilst most of the gang escaped and fled. They were eventually caught and sentenced to death for treason, in the spectacularly British tradition of being hung, drawn and quartered. The Traditions Having survived, King James created the Observance of the 5th of November Act as a holiday to celebrate his survival, and it is commemorated to this day with bonfires, fireworks and plenty of mulled wine. Be sure to keep an eye out for old traditions like the Penny for the Guy: children will create Guy Fawkes scarecrows and wheel them about, collecting change. Some events have best-dressed competitions for Guys, and you may see some burned on top of the bonfires (also sometimes the pope, awks)! Although sparklers are a favourite tradition at bonfires, they are banned at most events due to children and injuries, so pick up a pack and enjoy them at home if you can! Guy Fawkes Night London Events There are very few towns or villages across England who won't have some sort of event, so of course London will spoil you rotten with choices. Here's our list of the top events in the city. Alexandra Palace Fireworks Festival | 31 Oct-1 Nov If you want to make a real night of it, there is nowhere better to head than good old Ally Pally. The annual fireworks festival has been running for over 150 years and gets bigger every time. The 2025 display brings an incredible two days of entertainment and fiery fun for everyone to enjoy. You can arrive in time for the bonfire lighting, have a whirl on the funfair and grab some street food before the fireworks even begin! You can add tickets for ice skating and a bier festival (18+ only) too. Battersea Park Fireworks | 1-2 Nov This is South London's biggest fireworks display, with a family-friendly version on Sunday with a light show instead of a bonfire. There's classic comfort food, mulled wine and a spectacular display of some of the most ooh-and-ahh inducing fireworks you've ever seen, orchestrated by the fireworks team behind the annual NYE London Fireworks. This year they are making it even more of an evening out with additional live music, performances and activities both before and after the fireworks, and big savings for super early bird bookings. As the number of firework displays in London dwindles, hats off to Battersea for going large. Blackheath Fireworks | 1 Nov Back after six years, we're so happy to see the return of Blackheath Fireworks. There will be an impressive firework display set to music, classic fairground rides, live entertainment including comedy and DJs, street food stalls and family-friendly activities, as well as a craft beer festival. If that’s not enough, there will also be Massaoke; which is (you guessed it) mass karaoke. The Walker Fireworks | 8 Nov Attracting crowds of 8,000–10,000, this local favourite is one of North London's biggest fireworks displays. It's a family friendly event, so be sure to check out the family tickets if you're going with kids. Children under 4 go free, and can look forward to a merry-go-round, stalls and inflatables. For the adults there's a licensed bar (and a mulled wine station), and there'll be a good selection of street food spots including burgers, hotdogs and jerk chicken with doughnuts, waffles, toffee apples and candy floss for dessert. Coram’s Fields Fireworks Display The Coram’s Fields Fireworks display is back on bonfire night itself, the 5th November - and guess what? It's free! With performances from local children, fairground rides, delicious street food options and a fabulous fireworks extravaganza, this is one not to miss. Fireworks Displays: Wimbledon Park and Morden Park | 8 and 5 Nov Especially designed with kids in mind, the twin Wimbledon (8 November) and Morden Park (5 November) fireworks both have two sets of events set to music, with the first family-friendly one starting nice and early at 6:45 pm and the second display, which is louder, at 8:30pm. There will be food and drinks available as well as a funfair, so the little ones (and the big ones) can have plenty of fun. Dulwich Firework Display | 8 Nov Gates open at 5pm, with live music from 5:30pm until the fireworks start around 7pm and a wide range of food and drink options to keep you busy, including real ale, mulled wine, burgers, pizzas, BBQ and more. Please note there will be no tickets available on the night. This event regularly sells out, so to avoid disappointment get your tickets early. Stow Firework Spectacular | 5, 7-8 Nov Gates open at 4pm and there are two shows: a quieter mini-version at 6pm for smaller children and those with sensory issues, and a traditional full-on whizz-bang version at 8pm. Your ticket will get you in for both so you may as well turn up early and browse the rest of the entertainment. There will be a funfair, games, a whole range of food stalls, a bar selling cold beer and hot mulled wine and – how bang on trend is this? – hourly shows from a fire performer. Firework Supernova Ealing Cricket Club's fireworks display is set to the beats of retro supersonic hits, with a live DJ set immediately after the fireworks display. There will also be food stalls including BBQ, pizza and samosas, a mulled wine bar and candy floss for the kids (or when nobody's looking). The Fawkes Festival: Ravenscourt Park & Bishops Park| 1-2 Nov - CANCELLED The Ravenscourt Park and Bishops Park Fireworks were replaced for 2023 with an environmentally-friendly 15-minute ‘Light-Laser-Sound Extravaganza’, called The Fawkes Festival. Sadly, this year both events have again been cancelled. This article was first published in October 2021. Last updated September 2025.
A Cheapo's guide to London
A Cheapo's guide to London
A Cheapo's guide to London