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The 7 Best Bonfire Night Events in the UK

Jack Price

Bonfire Night in the UK is fast approaching and we’ve found the 7 best Bonfire Nights and firework displays for you to attend!

What better way to spend Bonfire Night than with your friends, families and loved ones at some of the best firework displays! Look forward to wrapping up warm and indulging in some hot chocolate while watching the displays light up the sky.

Read on to find the best places to spend Bonfire Night along with some property recommendations…

1. Chatsworth House Firework Display, Derbyshire

First on our list of the best fireworks displays in the UK is the breathtaking Chatsworth House. The displays held in the gardens of this fantastic house and estate are renowned for being quite the show!

The event is held over two nights and features a firework display for kids, an eye-catching bonfire and the ‘grand finale’ firework event. There is a wide range of food and drink options also available at the event. Choose from a selection of foods such as hog roasts and some sweet treat stalls.

There is also an adult-only option of a 2-course dinner prior to the firework display, served in the Cavendish Restaurant off the Stables courtyard. The Cavendish Restaurant will be open between 5 pm and 7 pm, bookings in advance for this is required.

Gates open at 6 pm, with the grand finale firework display taking place at 8:30 pm. If you are looking for a fantastic firework display, surrounded by history, then look no further than Chatsworth House.

When: Friday 1st & Saturday 2nd November 6pm onwards
Price: £22 for adults; £15 for children (aged 4-16). There is also an adult-only dinner and fireworks option, priced at £55 per person.

Nearby Property Recommendations

2.  Llandudno Fireworks Display 2024, Llandudno

Next up on our list of the best fireworks displays in the UK is Llandudno Fireworks Display 2024. This is one of the shorter displays on the list, coming in around 20 minutes but it is still not one to be missed.

Head along to the North Shore Promenade in Llandudno, which overlooks one of the best beaches in North Wales and watch as the sky lights up along the North Wales coastline, head to some of the stalls and enjoy a nice cup of tea or a warm hot chocolate and take in this incredible display.

The entry is free but if any change can be spared for donations to continue running the event each year that would be appreciated by the organisers.

When – Sunday 3rd November at 6:30pm
Price – Free

Nearby Property Recommendations

3. Tar Barrels of Ottery St Mary, Devon

If you are looking for an alternative Bonfire Night event, then head to Ottery St Mary for what has become the famous annual Tar Barrels event.

The Tar Barrel tradition has been around for hundreds of years and is assumed to have started not long after 1605’s gunpowder plot. Ottery is now the only place where you can see very brave members of the public carrying alight barrels on their shoulders each bonfire night.

It progressed over time from the traditional rolling of barrels down the street to something a little more risky but fascinating to watch. There is also a fireworks display on the banks of the River Otter.

This has become a very popular event, with over 15,000 visitors each year. At this alternative bonfire event, safety is paramount, there will be town marshals and event stewards around the area to help keep you and the participants safe during the display. Also, due to the amount of ash and smoke from the event, wearing sensible clothes and footwear is advised.

Road closures are in place from around 4 pm but there is an option for buses to transport you into town and then back out once the event has finished. This unique and exciting event is a great way to celebrate Bonfire Night. The full information about parking and public transport for the event can be found here.

When: Tuesday 5th November (tar barrels begin at 7 pm)
Price: Free

Nearby Property Recommendations

4. Aberdeen Fireworks Night 2024, Aberdeen

This year’s Bonfire Night event in Aberdeen has been moved to a slightly different location but still promises to bring a fabulous fireworks show! Due to development work at the usual beach location, the setting has been adjusted to the North Pier of the Port of Aberdeen.

The fireworks spark to life at 7:30 pm and last for around 20 minutes, so you will want to make sure you arrive a little early to try and find the best viewing spot. There is no parking close to the event though so public transport or Park and Ride from Bridge of Don, Kingswell and Altens, will be your best choice.

Crowds of up to 12,000 people are normally seen at this popular event, so wrap up warm and head down to the Aberdeen Fireworks Night 2024 where you can marvel as the spectacular fireworks light up the sky.

When: Tuesday 5th November 6.30 pm onwards
Price: Free

Nearby Property Recommendations

5. Midsummer Common Bonfire Night, Cambridge

Next on the list of our best Bonfire Night events is this beloved event by the Cambridge City Council which is recognised as one of the largest displays in the region with a FREE entry. The event takes place on Tuesday 5th November at Midsummer Common at 7 pm.

Large numbers are usually anticipated, last year around 20,000 people came to watch the display, so please leave enough time to get to the venue, taking public transport such as park and ride services would be advised. However, this means that the atmosphere here will be incredible with thousands of people gathered together to admire the fireworks.

So, head on down to Midsummer Common this November and enjoy Cambridge’s longest-running and best-loved traditions.

When: Tuesday 5th November 7 pm – 8 pm
Price: Donations of at least £3 per person are encouraged

Nearby Property Recommendations

6. Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular, Leeds Castle, Kent

Get ready for a firework spectacle at Leeds Castle, with the biggest and best fireworks display in the South East of England. The fireworks light up the sky, along with lasers, projections and music to make it an incredible display.

Head to the Castle grounds after 2 pm with a wide variety of food and drinks stalls, live music and activities to keep you entertained before the light show later in the day. Attractions include crazy golf, play areas for the kids and a maze in the castle ground.

The fireworks kick off just after 5:30 pm, creating an explosion of light in the sky to round off a perfect day at Leeds Castle.

When: Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th of November from 2 pm (Fireworks – 5:30 pm)
Price: Adults (Over 16+) – £27 | Child (3-15 years) – £18

Nearby Property Recommendations

7. Lewes Bonfire Night, Lewes, East Sussex

The final entry on our list of fantastic bonfire night events in the UK, Lewes Bonfire Night, has been running for over 300 years, with over 80,000 spectators each year coming to visit.

This is one of the more traditional bonfire night events still running, as the bonfire event continues with old traditions as well as the addition of more recent firework displays. It has even been recognised as one of the top autumn bucket list activities.

One thing that makes this event stand out is the numerous large effigies which are paraded through the street and then burned on the bonfires. As well as the fireworks and bonfires there are lots of street vendors selling food and drink to keep you satisfied.

Due to the event’s popularity, parking is almost impossible, due to the number of road closures and restrictions. Public transport will also be tricky, with no trains running to Lewes during the event from around late afternoon that day, so if you want to arrive by train, heading in around lunchtime or earlier might be the best bet.

The event start time is around 5 pm, with the bonfires beginning to light around 9:30 pm. The event runs until the fires have started to die down which can be in the early hours of the next day, how long will you stay for?

General access to the street viewing is free but each bonfire site is a ticket-only area, tickets are priced at around £10 and can be purchased at a number of shops in the town or the local tourist information centre.

When: Tuesday 5th of November from 5 pm
Price: Adults – £10

Nearby Property Recommendations

Have these unforgettable Bonfire Nights in the UK got you longing to book an autumn break? Then be sure to check out these holiday cottages available in November! You can also read about Bonfire Night facts you didn’t know to get you ready.