November 5
| Date | Thursday 5 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Where | UK |
About Bonfire Night 2026: Thursday 5 November
Bonfire Night 2026 is on Thursday 5 November 2026. Also called Guy Fawkes Night, it marks the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 with bonfires and fireworks across Great Britain. There is no national organiser; displays are run by councils, clubs, charities and bonfire societies.
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday 5 November 2026 |
| 2027 | Friday 5 November 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday 5 November 2028 |
What’s different in 2026
- It is a school and work night. With the 5th on a Thursday, many public displays will be held on the weekend before or after, so check the date of your local event rather than assuming it is on the 5th.
- A later curfew on the night. UK law bans fireworks between 11pm and 7am, but on Bonfire Night the cut-off is midnight.
- Sale dates. Registered sellers can sell fireworks for private use from 15 October to 10 November. You must be 18 to buy adult fireworks, and illegal use can bring an on-the-spot fine of £90.
- Diwali follows three days later. Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026, and the fireworks cut-off that night is 1am. Expect fireworks across much of the first fortnight of November.
- Remembrance Sunday is the same weekend. The National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph is on Sunday 8 November 2026, so weekend displays and Remembrance events will share local diaries.
- Lewes keeps the date. Lewes Bonfire takes place on Thursday 5 November 2026. Ringmer Parish Council reports that higher attendance is expected because of the Thursday date, with road closures from 4.45pm and trains not expected to stop at Lewes, Falmer, Cooksbridge, Glynde or Southease from 5pm.
How to take part in 2026
- Families: an organised display is safer than a garden one. If your local display is on Saturday 7 November, the 5th itself can be a quieter sparklers-and-soup evening at home.
- Schools: the 5th is a normal school day, so run a fire and fireworks safety session that week and remind pupils about the midnight curfew and the age limit for buying fireworks.
- Workplaces: staff going to a Thursday display may leave early or arrive tired on Friday; a relaxed start on Friday 6 November costs little.
- Pet owners and neighbours: fireworks may be heard across several nights in 2026 because of the Diwali and weekend overlap. Keep pets in after dark from late October, and tell neighbours with animals if you are planning a garden display.
- Organisers: check you are not clashing with a Remembrance event or a Diwali celebration in your area on Sunday 8 November.
Key dates around Bonfire Night 2026
- Saturday 31 October: Halloween
- Sunday 8 November: Diwali
- Sunday 8 November: Remembrance Sunday
- Tuesday 10 November: last day registered sellers can sell fireworks for private use
- Wednesday 11 November: Armistice Day
For the history of Bonfire Night and ideas that work every year, see our guide to Bonfire Night. For everything else happening this month, see November awareness days and weeks.
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