The Best Fireworks Displays in Kent 2026
Kent’s castles, country parks, race circuits and family attractions light up every November with some of the biggest fireworks displays and Bonfire Night celebrations in the South East.
From spectacular fireworks choreographed to music at Leeds Castle to the huge torchlit procession and traditional bonfire celebrations in Edenbridge, there are events across Kent ranging from enormous family spectacles to community charity displays.
Whether you are looking for an early fireworks display with younger children, a traditional Bonfire Night celebration or an entire day of entertainment before the fireworks begin, here is our guide to the best fireworks displays in Kent in 2026.
Last updated: 9 August 2026
1. Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular
Address: Leeds Castle, Broomfield, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL
Dates: Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026
Event type: Large-scale musical fireworks, lasers and projections
Gates open: 2pm
Fireworks: 5.30pm
Tickets: Adults £29; children aged 3 to 15 £20; under-threes free
Booking: Advance booking strongly recommended
Best for: The biggest all-round fireworks spectacle in Kent
Why visit: Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular is one of Kent's headline Bonfire Night events and describes itself as the largest and most spectacular fireworks display in South East England.
The 2026 theme is TIME, with fireworks choreographed to songs celebrating seconds, moments and memories. The castle forms the backdrop to a complete production combining fireworks with music, lasers and projections across the historic building.
Visitors can arrive from 2pm and spend the afternoon exploring parts of the estate before the main display. The maze and playgrounds are open, while a falconry display takes place at 3pm.
As the evening approaches, the grounds become a festival-style event with live music, street-food traders and a fairground before the fireworks begin at 5.30pm. Some activities and food carry additional charges.
Leeds Castle's combination of location, scale and production makes this the event to choose if the fireworks themselves are the main attraction.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Don't arrive shortly before 5.30pm. Make a day of it and enter when the grounds open at 2pm. It will also give you considerably more time to get through parking and entry before one of Kent's busiest fireworks displays.
One of the most picturesque firework displays: Leeds Castle
2. Edenbridge Bonfire
Address: Edenbridge Recreation Ground, Coomb Field, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5HL
Date: Saturday 7 November 2026
Event type: Traditional Bonfire Night, torchlit procession, giant effigies and fireworks
Road closures: From 6pm
Procession: Approximately 6.30pm
Fireworks: Approximately 8.30pm
Tickets: Procession free; adults £8, children £4
Best for: The most traditional Bonfire Night celebration in Kent
Why visit: Edenbridge Bonfire is completely different from a conventional fireworks display and is one of Kent's most distinctive annual events.
The evening begins with a torchlit procession through Edenbridge featuring marching bands, illuminated floats, costumed groups and visiting Bonfire Societies.
More than 1,000 flaming torches form part of the procession before the crowds move towards Edenbridge Recreation Ground for the main fireworks event.
The fireworks field features food stalls and smaller children's fairground attractions before two enormous effigies are destroyed as part of the display.
One is traditionally Guy Fawkes. The other is Edenbridge's famous Celebrity Guy, with the identity normally revealed shortly before Bonfire Night. Both structures stand more than 11 metres high.
The procession itself is free to watch, while tickets are required to enter the fireworks field. The 2026 event takes place on 7 November, with roads through the town centre closing from 6pm and fireworks expected at approximately 8.30pm.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Take the train if possible. Edenbridge Town station is only a few minutes from the procession route and extensive road closures operate throughout the evening. If driving, arrive well before 6pm.
3. Trucks & Fireworks at Brands Hatch
Address: Brands Hatch Circuit, West Kingsdown, Longfield, Kent DA3 8NG
Dates: Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026
Fireworks date: Sunday 1 November only
Event type: British Truck Racing Championship and fireworks
Opening time: 8am
Fireworks: After racing, expected sometime after 5.15pm
Sunday tickets: Adults £30; ages 13 to 15 £20; under-13s free
Parking: General public parking free
Best for: Motorsport fans and families wanting a full day before the fireworks
Why visit: Brands Hatch offers one of Kent's most unusual fireworks experiences, combining Bonfire Night celebrations with enormous racing trucks.
The British Truck Racing Championship takes over the famous Kent circuit across the weekend, with three truck races on the Sunday alongside support racing.
Once the racing has finished and darkness begins to fall, illuminated show trucks take part in a twilight parade around the circuit before fireworks are launched from the elevated Southbank area. The fireworks are expected to begin sometime after 5.15pm.
Sunday also includes a show-truck display, entertainment, an adventure playground, a paid funfair and an after-party with live music.
General parking outside the circuit is free, while a shuttle bus is operating from Swanley railway station on the Sunday for an additional charge.
Under-13s receive free admission, making Brands Hatch surprisingly good value for families who want both the motorsport and fireworks rather than simply arriving for an evening display.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Make sure you book Sunday 1 November if fireworks are the reason for your visit. The race weekend begins on Saturday 31 October, but the fireworks take place on Sunday only.
Brand Hatch 3. Trucks & Fireworks
4. Kent Life Fireworks Spectacular
Address: Kent Life, Lock Lane, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3AU
Dates: Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November 2026
Event type: Musical fireworks and family entertainment
Friday: Gates 4pm; fireworks 8.30pm
Saturday: Gates 3pm; fireworks 6.30pm
Tickets: Adults £18; children aged 2 to 15 £15; family ticket £60; under-twos free
Booking: Advance booking strongly recommended
Best for: Families and children wanting an earlier Saturday display
Why visit: Kent Life's Fireworks Spectacular provides a family-focused alternative to some of Kent's larger Bonfire Night events.
The fireworks are set to music, while the wider event includes children's fairground rides, glow-stick stalls, food concessions and a licensed bar.
The two nights operate on noticeably different schedules. Friday's display starts later at 8.30pm, while Saturday's fireworks begin at 6.30pm, making the Saturday particularly useful for families with younger children.
Parking is available at Kent Life but cannot be guaranteed for every ticket holder. Additional parking is available at nearby Cobtree Manor Park, approximately a 15-minute walk from the attraction.
Kent Life also advises visitors not to bring pets to the event.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Choose Saturday if you have younger children. A 6.30pm fireworks start is considerably easier than some of Kent's later traditional Bonfire Night displays.
5. Royal Tunbridge Wells Fireworks at Dunorlan Park
Address: Dunorlan Park, Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3QN
Date: Saturday 7 November 2026
Event type: Charity fireworks display in a public park
Opening times: Full 2026 timetable to be announced
Tickets: On sale from early September 2026
Parking: Limited parking around the park; walking from the town centre recommended
Best for: Fireworks in Tunbridge Wells and a classic community display
Why visit: Dunorlan Park provides one of the most attractive settings for a community fireworks display in Kent.
The landscaped park rises above a large lake, creating natural viewpoints from which to watch fireworks explode over the water.
Royal Tunbridge Wells Round Table has confirmed that its annual charity display will return on Saturday 7 November 2026, with tickets due to go on sale in early September. The organiser has not yet published the complete 2026 timetable or ticket prices, so these should be checked again closer to the event.
The annual fireworks display has been held at Dunorlan for more than 60 years and attracts thousands of visitors, with profits distributed to local charities and good causes. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council describes it as the town's largest single annual event.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Don't plan on parking directly beside the display. Dunorlan Park is around a 15-minute walk from central Tunbridge Wells, so using a town-centre car park and walking to the event is often easier.
6. Tonbridge Annual Fireworks Display
Address: Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground, The Slade, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1HR
Date: Sunday 1 November 2026
Event type: Community charity fireworks display choreographed to music
Gates open: 5pm
Fireworks: 6.30pm
Tickets: From £8.50
Booking: Advance booking recommended
Best for: An affordable family fireworks display in central Tonbridge
Why visit: Tonbridge's annual fireworks display combines a convenient town-centre location with a large professional display and community atmosphere.
The 2026 event takes place at Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground on Sunday 1 November.
Gates open at 5pm, giving visitors time to use the food stalls and enjoy live music before the main display begins at 6.30pm. The fireworks are choreographed to music by Phoenix Fireworks.
The event is organised by Tonbridge Round Table, with proceeds distributed to local charities.
Its relatively early finish and central location make Tonbridge particularly attractive to families who do not want to commit to one of the larger all-day events.
The organiser has also confirmed that the 2026 display will have a Halloween-themed "spooktacular" format.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Consider arriving by train. Tonbridge station is within walking distance of the town centre and avoids relying on the limited parking close to the Racecourse Sportsground.
7. Fireworks and Floodlit Rallycross at Lydden Hill
Address: Lydden Hill Race Circuit, Wootton, Canterbury, Kent CT4 6ET
Dates: Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026
Fireworks: Saturday 7 November
Event type: British Rallycross finale, floodlit racing and fireworks
Tickets: Advance booking available; check the current ticket calendar for prices
Best for: Motorsport, older children and a complete weekend event
Why visit: Lydden Hill offers another opportunity to combine motorsport with a major fireworks display.
The 2026 weekend hosts the finale of the 5 Nations British Rallycross Championship, with cars racing across Lydden Hill's combination of tarmac, loose surfaces and its famous tabletop jump.
As darkness approaches, racing continues under floodlights before a fireworks display takes place on Saturday 7 November.
The off-track programme includes a family funfair, walkabout characters, street performers, live music, street food and trade stands.
The event continues on Sunday 8 November with further rallycross action, although the fireworks are scheduled for Saturday.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Lydden Hill works best if your family is genuinely interested in the motorsport as well as the fireworks. Arrive during the day and treat the display as the finale to the racing rather than travelling solely for an evening show.
8. Farthingloe Fireworks, Dover
Address: Great Farthingloe Farm, Folkestone Road, Dover, Kent CT15 7AA
Date: Friday 6 November 2026
Event type: Family fireworks, fairground and dedicated quieter display
Gates open: 4pm
SEN and young children's display: 6pm
Main fireworks: 8pm
Event closes: Approximately 9.30pm
Booking: Advance booking required; check live ticket availability
Best for: Younger children and visitors who would benefit from a gentler early display
Why visit: Farthingloe Fireworks is particularly notable because it offers two different fireworks displays during the same evening.
The event begins at 4pm with fairground attractions, arts and crafts, local food traders and other family entertainment.
At 6pm, a separate display is held specifically for younger children and people with additional sensory needs. The shorter display uses quieter effects to provide an alternative to the louder main fireworks.
The main pyrotechnics display then begins at 8pm.
This makes Farthingloe one of the most useful Bonfire Night options in Kent for families who have previously avoided traditional fireworks because of the noise or late start times.
The event takes place across Great Farthingloe Farm, a large countryside venue on the outskirts of Dover.
Visit Kent Guide tip: If noise sensitivity is important, make sure you attend the dedicated 6pm display rather than assuming the main 8pm show will also be low noise.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Some of the biggest confirmed displays include Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular, Edenbridge Bonfire, Trucks & Fireworks at Brands Hatch, Kent Life Fireworks Spectacular, Tonbridge Fireworks, Dunorlan Park Fireworks, Lydden Hill and Farthingloe Fireworks.
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Leeds Castle describes its Fireworks Spectacular as the largest and most spectacular fireworks display in South East England. The 2026 event combines choreographed fireworks with music, projections and lasers across two nights.
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Bonfire Night is Thursday 5 November 2026. Many organised Kent displays take place on the weekends either side of 5 November.
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Farthingloe Fireworks near Dover has confirmed a dedicated SEN and young children's display at 6pm on Friday 6 November 2026, before its main fireworks at 8pm.
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Confirmed events on 7 November include Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular, Edenbridge Bonfire, Kent Life Fireworks Spectacular, Royal Tunbridge Wells Fireworks at Dunorlan Park and the fireworks at Lydden Hill's British Rallycross finale.
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Farthingloe is particularly suitable because of its dedicated quieter display at 6pm. Kent Life's Saturday fireworks begin at 6.30pm, while the Leeds Castle display starts at 5.30pm.
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Most large fireworks displays require advance tickets, and some regularly sell out. Booking early is particularly important for Leeds Castle, Brands Hatch and the larger family attractions.
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The torchlit procession through Edenbridge is free to watch. Tickets are required to enter the Recreation Ground for the main bonfire and fireworks display.
