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Unmissable fireworks displays in London
By Sarah Kingsley 05.11.09
No matter what part of London you fancy visiting on Bonfire Night, there is a display to impress everyone.
NORTH
Alexandra Palace Park
7 Nov: German Bier Festival in the Great Hall from 4.30pm, plus a British Ale festival with family play area and kid's karaoke competition in the West Hall. Funfair in the park and fireworks at 7.30pm. Suggested donation £4, children £2. Pre-booked family viewing area: £5, children £3, family £12. Wood Green, N22. Wood Green Tube/Alexandra Palace rail. Road closed through park from 6pm.
Info: alexandrapalace.com
Enfield Town Park
7 Nov: Enfield District Scouts' firework display with funfair until 10pm. Gates 6pm, display 7.30pm. £5, children £3. Enfield Town Park, Cecil or Essex Road entrance, EN2. Enfield Town rail.
Info: enfieldscouts.org/fireworks
Roundwood Park
5 Nov: Gates 6.45pm, fireworks 8pm. Food/drinks and children's rides. No parking. Harlesden Road, NW10. Willesden Junction/Dollis Hill Tubes. Free.
Info: brent.gov.uk/parks
Walker Ground Southgate
7 Nov: Gates 5pm, fireworks 8pm. Entertainment, bar, food, children's rides. £5 in advance (£6 on gate), under-16s £3 (£4 gate), under-fours free. No car parking. Waterfall Road, N14. Southgate Tube.
Info: thewalkerground.co.uk/fireworks
EAST
Barking Park
7 Nov: Gates and funfair 5.30pm, fireworks 8pm. Musical entertainment from 6.15pm, including tribute acts. £5, under-16s £1 with paying adult. Longbridge Road, IG11 (main and middle entrances only). Barking Tube.
Info: barking-dagenham.gov.uk
Victoria Park
7 Nov: Recognised as one of the best free displays in London, this year's Great Balls of Fire event starts from 7.30-8.15pm. Grove Road entrance, E3. Mile End Tube.
Info: towerhamletsarts.org.uk
Walthamstow
5 Nov: Gates 6pm, fireworks 8pm. Funfair until 9.30pm. Adults £4, under-16s £3, under-fives free. Chestnut Field, Forest Road
E17. Walthamstow Central/Wood Street rail.
Info: walthamforest.gov.uk
SOUTH EAST/KENT
Beckenham
7 Nov: 6-10pm. Children's
fireworks 7pm, main display 8pm. Funfair and refreshments. £5, under-16s £3, under-fives free. Croydon Road Recreation Ground, Croydon Road, Beckenham, B3. Beckenham Hill rail.
Info: beckenhamfireworks.org.uk
Blackheath
7 Nov: A dazzling firework display
set to music by show designers Festival Fireworks from 8-8.30pm.Refreshments. Blackheath station is likely to be especially busy so use alternatives: Greenwich or Lewisham rail/DLR.
Info: lewisham.gov.uk
Bromley
Sat 7: Nov 6-10pm. Funfair and fireworks. Admission prices to be confirmed. Norman Park, Hayes Lane, Bromley, BR2. Hayes/Bromley South rail.
Info: bromley.gov.uk
Chislehurst Recreation Ground
7 Nov: Gates 6pm, bonfire 7pm, fireworks 7.30pm. Funfair, sideshows and refreshments. £6 (£4.50 in advance), children £3 (£2.50). Walden Road or Empress Drive, BR7 5BG.
Info: chislehurstrotaryclub.org.uk
Crystal Palace
5 Nov: Two shows for the price of one! Gates 5pm, children's fireworks 7pm, main show 8pm. £5, under-14s £3, under-fives free. Limited onsite parking £2, so arrive early if you are planning to come by car. SE19 2AA. Crystal Palace rail (head towards sports centre).
Info: crystalpalacefireworks.co.uk
Danson Park
7 Nov: 6-9pm, traditional funfair, refreshments and fireworks fired over the lake. £6 (£4 in advance) under-16s £4 (£2.50), parking £5. Just off A2, Welling/Bexleyheath border, DA6 8HL.
Info: dansonparkfireworks.co.uk
Southwark
5 Nov: Street theatre entertainment from 6pm, fireworks 7pm. No parking. Potters Fields Park SE1. London Bridge tube/rail, Tower Hill tube, Tower Gateway DLR. Free.
Info: southwark.gov.uk
SOUTH/SOUTH WEST
Battersea Park
7 Nov: This year's theme is “Love”.
It's an extremely popular event, so arrive early and don't even think about getting there by car. Gates 6pm, bonfire 7.30pm, fireworks 8pm. Refreshments, bar, prizes. Adults £6, under-tens £1. Advanced tickets: 0845 070 6870 (£1 booking fee per transaction). Albert Bridge Road entrance, SW11. Battersea Park/Queenstown Road train or Sloane Square Tube then 19 or 137 bus.
Info: wandsworth.gov.uk/fireworks
Brockwell Park
5 Nov: Fireworks from 7.30-8pm. Dulwich Road, SE24. Brixton tube/Herne Hill rail. Free.
Info: lambeth.gov.uk/fireworks
Clapham Common
5 Nov: Fireworks from 7.30-8pm. Windmill Drive, SW4. Clapham Common or Clapham South Tube. Free.
Info: lambeth.gov.uk/fireworks
Croydon, Sanderstead Recreation Ground
7 Nov: Gates 5.50pm, fireworks 7pm, bonfire 7.30pm. Organised by Croydon Round Table and Rotary Club in association with Croydon Council. Refreshments and funfair. £5 (£4.50 in advance), under-fours free. Sanderstead Recreation Ground, Limpsfield Road, CR2 9EA. Sanderstead or Riddlestown rail.
Info: croydon.gov.uk
Kingston
6 Nov: Gates 6.30pm, fireworks 8pm. £6 (£4 in advance), under-12s £4
(£3 in advance), under-fives free. Kingsmeadow Athletics Ground, Kingston Road. Kingston KT1 3PB.
Norbiton rail.
Info: kingston.gov.uk
Morden Park
7 Nov: Gates 5.15pm, first performance 6.30pm, second performance 8.15pm, side stalls and fairground until 10pm. Adults £7, under-18s £4, under-fours free, family £20. Morden Tube/Morden South rail.
Info: merton.gov.uk/fireworks
Richmond Athletic Club
8 Nov: 6pm Procession of the Guys' by local schoolchildren followed by fireworks. Family event with refreshments, fairground rides and covered seating. Family ticket £27 in advance from Orange Tree Theatre (first come, first served), £30 on gate. Kew Foot Road, next to Pools on the Park, TW9 2SS. Richmond Tube/rail.
Info: the-raa.co.uk
Streatham Common
5 Nov: Fireworks from 7.30-8pm. Streatham High Road, SW16. Streatham Common rail. Free.
Info: lambeth.gov.uk/fireworks
Wimbledon Park
5 Nov: Gates open 5.15pm with children's firework display 6.30pm. Second show at 8.15pm. Side stalls and funfair open until 10pm. £7, under-18s £4, under-fours free, family £20. Entrances on Revelstoke Road, Home Park Road and Wimbledon Park Road, SW19. Southfields/Wimbledon Park Tube.
Info: merton.gov.uk/fireworks
WEST
Bishops Park
6 Nov: Gates 6pm, children's fireworks 7.15pm, main display 8pm. Funfair and refreshments.£6, under-fives free. Stevenage Road, SW6. Putney Bridge/Parsons Green Tubes.
Info: lbhf.gov.uk
Ealing Cricket Club
7 Nov: Gates 6pm, fireworks 7.30pm set to music, with the theme “Fireworks go pop”. Refreshments, bar, fun rides £5, accompanied under-14s £3. Corfton Road, W5. Ealing Broadway Tube.
Info: ealingcc.co.uk
Syon Park
5 Nov: Syon Park's first public firework event includes a re-enactment of the history behind Bonfire Night plus a firework display and refreshments. Gates 7pm, activities from 8pm. £5, under-16s £2. Limited parking. Access via Park Road, Brentford TW7 6AZ. Boston Manor/Ealing Broadway Tube then E8 bus.
Info: syonpark.co.uk
Ravenscourt Park
7 Nov: Gates 6pm, children's fireworks 7.15pm, main fireworks 8pm. £6, under-fives free. Paddenswick Road, W6. Ravenscourt Park/Stamford Brook Tubes.
Info: lbhf.gov.uk
Westway
5 Nov: Fire jugglers and other performances, giant bonfire and massive firework 6.15-7.30pm. Maxilla Gardens, W10. Ladbroke Grove/Latimer Road Tube. Entrance from St Marks Road, alongside the Westway flyover. Free.
Info: 020 7361 2062
AMAZING DISPLAYS
Legoland, Windsor
24-25 and 30-31 Oct, 1 and 7 Nov: Legoland has six nights of spectacular firework displays themed around Indiana Jones. Open as usual from 10am, show starts at dusk and is included in the normal ticket price. Save money and book online: £33.30 (£37 gate price), under-16s £25.20 (£28), under-threes free. Windfield Road, Windsor SL4 4AY.
Info: legoland.co.uk
Leeds Castle
7 and 8 Nov: Pyrotechnics set to music from top West End shows. Entertainment 2.30-5pm, with a falconry display 3pm and fireworks from 5.30pm. Activities will be taking place in the castle grounds. Tickets must be booked in advance. £16, under-16s £10, under-fours free. Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL.
Info: leeds-castle.com
Information correct at the time of going to press.
Blasting off at home
Always buy from a licensed retailer and make sure the fireworks comply with British Standard 7114 and are suitable for your size of garden.
For larger gardens, David Jordan of family-run Jordan's Fireworks (jordansfireworks.co.uk) recommends single ignition fireworks — one ignition lasts around two minutes. His best value is Standard's Multi-Effect, on special offer at £59.99 online, which lasts 100 seconds with 185 shots from one ignition.
Single ignition Colossus from Black Cat gets the thumbs up on The Gadget Show, with its 173 shots and special effects — for bigger budgets, the Grand Finale, £119.99. See both in action on the Black Cat (blackcatfireworks.co.uk).
Brilliant Fireworks (brilliantfireworks.co.uk) in Ealing says top for wow-factor is the 107-shot vertical and fan firing Hercules, £89.99, or, for smaller budgets, the Starfleet pack of ten rockets, £29.99, gets good reviews (both Brothers Pyrotechnics).
Newsbox in Loughton (newsboxfire works.co.uk). has the best-selling Emerald Nights (Absolute Fireworks), a single ignition 36 shots for £39.99.
For smaller ones, Kimbalton's Jelly Bean is popular, £9.49, as is its Gold Box selection, at £29.49. Cheeky Cherries from Fireworks International is good value at £9.99 for 25 shots and Brothers Pyrotechnic Fiery Eye Catherine Wheel is a family favourite at £10.
Tesco's Stargate selection family fun pack of 18 fireworks is great value at £6 or £15 combined with Ice Storm Fountain and a Take-Off Rocket pack. ASDA's explosive deals include the Blast O Mania pack of 23 pieces for £30. For impressive multi-shot fireworks try Blast Furnace from Sainsbury's, £54.99.
Reader views (5)
With the ridiculous banning of some products and games by Health & Safety eg conkers , can someone enlighten me and tell me why fireworks are so readily available to the public. Private displays of fireworks were banned In Australia years ago and now displays are organised, usually at the Harbour bridge on Queen's Birthday and New Years Eve. Does Health & Safety turn a blind eye to the obvious hazards of selling fireworks to all and sundry?
- Liz Gibson, guildford UK
A complete waste of public money, although the burning of effigies of Broon & Co might be fun. May be, thesedays, it's an excuse to burn MPs expenses sheets? Or are they claiming fireworks as a neccessery part of their job.
- Strongbow Sullivan, Paris,France.
It's people getting injured Nancy, that is what is important, HUMAN LIVES,
not animals.
- Marisa, London
Amongst the fireworks jollities, spare a thought for ALL animals, whose hearing is so much more acute than ours and who are so traumatized, by the noise. The town of Knysna in South Africa banned fireworks, it was a successful move, and what a difference it made to the reduction of trauma and injuries of dogs, cats, atc.
- Nancy Mann, Eastleigh, UK
It isn't 'Bonfire' (sic). It's November the 5th, or Guy Fawkes night. In memory of an atrocity that didn't happen. And that some of us would feel is richly deserved right now. Which effigy will you burn?
- Steve, London
