Bonfire Night 2026: Free Fireworks Displays, Chilly Forecast and Safety Rules for Tonight
Bonfire Night 2026 arrives tonight, Thursday 5 November, with towns and cities across the UK lighting bonfires and staging fireworks displays. The Met Office expects mostly dry but chilly conditions, with temperatures falling into single figures after dark, and fire services are urging families to choose organised displays over back-garden fireworks.
Bonfire Night 2026 — Quick Reference Summary
| Detail | Bonfire Night 2026 |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday 5 November 2026 |
| What it marks | 421st anniversary of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 |
| Weather | Mostly dry and chilly; mid-single figures overnight; patchy rain in parts of Scotland and the east earlier in the day |
| Best advice | Attend an organised display and follow the Firework Code at home |
| Fireworks curfew | No fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except until midnight on Bonfire Night |
| Buying fireworks | Must be 18 or over; registered sellers may sell them from 15 October to 10 November |
| Diwali | Saturday 7 November 2026 |
Dry Skies, Cold Air: What the Met Office Expects Tonight
The Met Office forecast for Thursday reads: “Brisk easterly winds across the south with isolated showers, heaviest near southwest England later. Northern and northwestern areas see the brightest conditions, though fog may linger. Rather chilly further south.” Night-time fog is likely to spread across the UK, with a touch of frost possible in sheltered northern areas.
The chill will be felt everywhere once the sun sets. In Greater Manchester, temperatures are forecast at around 9C or 10C at 6pm, dropping to about 7C by 11pm. In Edinburgh, patchy rain is expected between 4pm and 7pm before conditions dry up, with highs of 8C, lows of 4C, and sunset at 4.24pm. The Met Office has also warned that bonfire smoke could linger in places under high pressure, cutting visibility at times.
That is a sharp contrast with last year. On 5 November 2025, some southern weather stations recorded their warmest Bonfire Night on record, with temperatures in places not dropping below 14C. This year, wrap up warm: the cold is close to the seasonal average, but it will feel very different from last November. Read the full Met Office-based forecast in The Sun’s Bonfire Night 2026 weather report.
Free Displays Lighting Up the Country Tonight
Plenty of displays cost nothing to attend, and several start early enough for families. At Coram’s Fields in Bloomsbury, London, gates open at 3.30pm, stage performances begin at 4.15pm and the fireworks start at 6pm, with adults admitted only when accompanied by children under 19. The site works with Great Ormond Street Hospital to broadcast the fireworks to children in its wards.
In Cambridge, Midsummer Common hosts one of the largest free displays in the East of England, with music from 6pm and fireworks from 7pm. At Plymouth Hoe in Devon, the fairground opens at 4pm, the bonfire is lit at 7pm and the fireworks start at 7.30pm, with around 20,000 spectators expected. In Scotland, 27 organised displays are planned, including Aberdeen at 7.30pm and Inverness at 7pm.
Lewes in East Sussex stages its famous torchlight procession, while Alexandra Palace hosts its Fireworks and Drone Festival over the weekend of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. Times can change, so check the organiser’s latest notice before travelling. The festive season is already under way on television too: Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot Christmas advert makes its full debut tonight at 8pm, and John Lewis launched its 2026 festive film earlier this week.
The Firework Code and the Law in 2026
Fire services across the UK give the same core advice: the safest way to enjoy fireworks is at a professionally organised public display. RoSPA, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, notes that far fewer people are hurt at organised displays than at family or private parties, because someone else does the lighting and a proper safety distance separates the fireworks from the crowd.
Anyone setting off fireworks at home should follow the Firework Code. Only adults should handle fireworks, from setting up to clearing away. Keep them in a closed box and use them one at a time. Light them at arm’s length with a taper, then stand well back. Never return to a firework after it has been lit. Keep children and pets away, and keep a bucket of water nearby at all times. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service sets out the same rules in its Bonfire Night safety guidance.
Sparklers need particular care. They are not for children under five, and they burn at around 20 times the boiling point of water, staying hot long after they have gone out. Children using sparklers should wear gloves and hold them at arm’s length. Bonfires should be built away from houses, sheds, fences, trees and overhead cables, and never lit with flammable liquids such as paraffin or petrol.
The law is clear on the basics. You must be 18 to buy adult fireworks, and registered sellers may sell them for Bonfire Night between 15 October and 10 November. Fireworks must not be set off between 11pm and 7am, except on Bonfire Night, when the cut-off is midnight, and on Diwali and New Year’s Eve, when it is 1am. In July 2026, the Office for Product Safety and Standards opened a consultation on cutting the maximum noise level for fireworks sold to the public from 120 decibels to 110, keeping the loudest products for professional displays only. That consultation closed on 7 October, and no change is in force for tonight.
Why the Fifth of November Still Burns: The Gunpowder Plot in 1605
Bonfire Night marks the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. On the night of 4 November 1605, officials searched the vaults beneath the House of Lords after an anonymous letter warned Lord Monteagle to stay away from Parliament. There they found Guy Fawkes, calling himself John Johnson, guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder.
The plot, led by Robert Catesby, aimed to kill James I and destroy the assembled political leadership at the opening of Parliament. Fawkes became its best-known figure, and his effigy is still burned on bonfires 421 years later. Before every State Opening of Parliament, the Yeomen of the Guard still march through the cellars of the Palace of Westminster with swords and lanterns, checking that all is secure before the King’s Speech.
Frequently asked questions about Bonfire Night 2026
Q: What time do the fireworks start on Bonfire Night 2026?
A: It varies by display. Most organised shows start between 6pm and 7.30pm, including Coram’s Fields in London at 6pm, Midsummer Common in Cambridge at 7pm and Plymouth Hoe at 7.30pm. Check the organiser’s latest notice before travelling.
Q: Is it going to rain on Bonfire Night 2026?
A: Mostly no. The Met Office expects largely dry conditions, with patchy rain in parts of Scotland and the east earlier in the day, fog possible overnight, and temperatures falling into single figures. Wrap up warm.
Q: Can I set off fireworks at home tonight?
A: Yes, if you are 18 or over and bought them from a registered seller. Fireworks may be set off until midnight on Bonfire Night. Follow the Firework Code, and fire services advise attending an organised display instead.
Q: Are sparklers safe for children?
A: Not for children under five. Sparklers burn at around 20 times the boiling point of water and stay hot after they go out. Older children should wear gloves and hold them at arm’s length.
Q: Why do we celebrate Bonfire Night?
A: It marks the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes was caught guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath the House of Lords in a plot to kill James I.
