Bonfire Night Falls on Thursday 5th November, and London's Biggest Firework Displays Run Through the Weekend

Bonfire Night falls on a Thursday this year, so most of London's large displays move to Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November. A handful still go ahead on the night itself, which gives you two chances to stand in a cold park with a hot drink and look up.

A failed plot in 1605 gave London its loudest night

The fifth of November marks the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when a group of Catholic conspirators led by Robert Catesby planned to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament and kill King James I. Guy Fawkes was arrested shortly after midnight guarding barrels of gunpowder stored in a cellar beneath the Lords.

Londoners lit bonfires that night to celebrate the King's survival. In January 1606 Parliament made the fifth of November an annual day of thanksgiving, and the habit outlived the law that created it, which was repealed in 1859. The Yeomen of the Guard still search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster before every State Opening of Parliament.

Wimbledon Park lights up on Thursday 5th November

If you want your fireworks on the date itself, the display at Wimbledon Park runs on Thursday 5th November, with gates opening from 5.15pm. Morden Park, a few miles south, holds its own display on Saturday 7th November for anyone who cannot make a weeknight.

Alexandra Palace pairs fireworks with a drone show and a view across the city

Alexandra Palace runs its Fireworks and Drone Festival on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November, with gates opening at 4pm. On Saturday the fireworks start at 8pm, and on Sunday they move earlier to 6pm, which suits families with younger children.

The festival adds a drone light show, a large bonfire, fairground rides, ice skating and a German-style beer hall with live bands. The real draw is the hilltop setting: from the park you watch the fireworks with the whole London skyline behind them. Ticket prices vary by session, so book early for the best rate.

Battersea Park holds two nights by the river

Battersea Park also runs its display across Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November, with fireworks set to music. If you would rather see the show from the water, several Thames cruises sail past the park on fireworks night and give you an uninterrupted view from the river.

Blackheath, Beckenham and Dulwich light up south-east London

Blackheath's annual display returns on Saturday 7th November, with adult tickets at £16. The heath is wide and open, so dress for the wind. Beckenham's bonfire celebrations, which have raised money for local causes for almost 80 years, take place on the same Saturday, as does the Dulwich Fireworks display at Dulwich Sports Club.

Remembrance and Diwali share the weekend with the fireworks

This year the fireworks fall on the same weekend as Remembrance and Diwali, and a little care goes a long way. Many dogs and cats are frightened by fireworks, so keep pets indoors, close the curtains and leave a radio or television on to soften the bangs. Some veterans also find sudden explosions hard to bear, and Remembrance weekend is a good moment to keep that in mind.

If you plan fireworks in your own garden, the law in England sets limits. Fireworks may not be set off between 11pm and 7am, except on Bonfire Night, when the curfew moves to midnight, and on Diwali, New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year, when it moves to 1am. Diwali falls on Sunday 8th November this year, so the later limit applies that night. Nobody under 18 may buy fireworks, and an organised display remains the safest way to enjoy them.

London's fireworks at a glance

• Thursday 5th November: Wimbledon Park
• Saturday 7th November: Alexandra Palace (8pm), Battersea Park, Blackheath, Beckenham, Dulwich, Morden Park
• Sunday 8th November: Alexandra Palace (6pm), Battersea Park