Alexandra Palace Fireworks And Drone Festival | Your 2025 Guide

Every autumn, Alexandra Palace — affectionately known as the People’s Palace — turns into the city’s biggest stage for light, sound and spectacle. The Fireworks & Drone Festival is a two-night extravaganza that combines bespoke firework displays, state-of-the-art drone choreography, live music, street food, funfairs and ice discos. No wonder it’s been dubbed “the Glastonbury of Fireworks” and is London's biggest Bonfire Night celebration.

Each year, tens of thousands flock to North London to watch the night sky erupt above the palace’s iconic skyline. Whether you’re in it for the pyrotechnics, the parties, or the family-friendly fun, Ally Pally offers a little bit of everything — and a lot of atmosphere.

Fireworks And Drones With A Halloween Twist

The headline act is always the fireworks—choreographed to music, bursting with colour and drama, and designed exclusively for the occasion. Recently, the festival has added an extra dimension with a bespoke drone display, filling the air with illuminated shapes and stories.

What makes it extra special is the timing. The Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival often falls across Halloween weekend, blending eerie themes with Bonfire Night traditions. Picture rockets exploding in pumpkin orange and witchy green, drones sketching bats and ghosts across the sky, and bonfires crackling below. It’s spooky season and firework season rolled into one.

More Than Just Fireworks

If you think this festival is just about staring skywards, think again. On the ground, the experience is just as lively.

• Bonfires: Warm up around huge, glowing pyres in the lower field — the perfect Halloween-meets-Bonfire Night backdrop.

• Ghost Tours: Step inside the palace’s eerie Victorian Theatre for after-dark tours. Expect ghost stories, legends, and a peek into the origins of old theatrical superstitions.

• Fancy Dress: A Halloween costume competition keeps things playful, with prizes for the best get-ups.

Live Music And Parties

Alexandra Palace doesn’t stop at fireworks — the whole site transforms into a festival ground.

• StrEATlife Village: A buzzing open-air hub with DJs, cocktails, craft beer, and more than 50 street food vendors. Think everything from tacos and burgers to churros and bao buns.

• Great Hall Bierkeller: The palace’s Great Hall becomes the UK’s largest indoor German beer festival, with Oompah bands, steins of lager, and tribute headliners. Past line-ups have included Taylor Swift tribute Fearlessly Taylor and Dolly Parton tribute The Dolly Show.

• Café de Pally: A cosier spot for live bands and throwback anthems, including acts like Rhythm of the 90s.

• Ice Disco: The palace ice rink turns into a disco on ice, perfect for families or anyone with the balance for dancing on skates.

Family Fun And Thrills

The Fireworks & Drone Festival is designed for all ages. Families can enjoy fairground rides, food stalls, and quieter spaces for little ones. Thrill-seekers, meanwhile, can take their pick of adrenaline-pumping rides at the funfair before heading to the main display.

Practical Tips For Making The Most Of The Festival

A little planning makes Ally Pally’s Fireworks & Drone Festival even better.

1. Arrive early. Gates open well before the display. Early birds bag the best viewing spots and avoid last-minute queues.

2. Wrap up warm. Alexandra Palace sits on a hill, and the wind can cut through like it’s auditioning for a ghost tour. Layers, hats and gloves are your best mates.

3. Use public transport. Parking is limited and fills quickly. Alexandra Palace Station and Wood Green tube are your easiest bets. Shuttle buses usually run from the station.

4. Explore the extras. Don’t just watch the fireworks and leave. The food, music and fairground rides are half the fun — and make the ticket price feel well worth it.

5. Pick your night wisely. Friday tends to feel more like a party, with DJ-led sets and tribute headliners. Saturday leans family-friendly, with an earlier start and more time to enjoy the funfair.

Tickets And Timings

Tickets are released months in advance and usually sell fast. Prices vary year to year, but early bird tickets tend to start around £15–£16 for adults and £6–£10 for children.

• Friday night: Gates open from around 6pm, with the main display later in the evening.

• Saturday: Gates open earlier, around 4pm, making it easier for families with younger children to join the fun.

Tickets can be bought here. Always book in advance — this event rarely has availability on the day.

Why Alexandra Palace?

There’s something special about watching fireworks from the grounds of Alexandra Palace. Perched on a North London hilltop, it offers sweeping views of the city skyline. When the sky lights up with rockets and drones, and the city twinkles beyond, it’s hard not to feel you’ve found the best seat in town.

And then there’s the history. Alexandra Palace has been London’s “People’s Palace” since 1873, hosting everything from Victorian theatre to live music festivals. The Fireworks & Drone Festival is a modern extension of that role — a gathering that mixes tradition with innovation, local community with global spectacle.

FAQs

When is the Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival?

It takes place over the weekend closest to Bonfire Night, often overlapping with Halloween. Dates vary slightly each year and this year it falls on Friday 31st October and Saturday 1st November,, 2025.

How much are tickets?

Early bird tickets start £15.50 for adults and £6–£10 for children, with family packages available.

Is it family-friendly?

Yes. There are funfair rides, food stalls, ice discos and quieter areas alongside the main fireworks and drone display.

Can I bring food and drink?

Outside food and drink isn't allowed, except for sealed or reusable water bottles. But the site is packed with over 50 street food vendors and bars.

What’s the best way to get there?

Public transport is strongly recommended. Alexandra Palace Station and Wood Green Underground are nearby, with shuttle buses often running.

The Final Word

The Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival isn’t just London’s biggest Bonfire Night celebration — it’s one of the UK’s most inventive, blending centuries-old traditions with cutting-edge drone shows, live music, food, and family fun.

Whether you’re wrapped up warm on the hill watching the skyline explode in colour, dancing to 90s anthems in the Great Hall, or sharing churros under the glow of the bonfire, one thing’s certain: Ally Pally knows how to throw a firework festival.

Fancy Putting on Your Own Firework Display?

Well, lucky you. Because here at Epic Fireworks, we stock the UK’s biggest and best range of consumer fireworks—everything from mega rockets to garden-friendly fountains. Whether you’re planning a back garden bonanza or a full-blown party with all the pyro, we’ve got you covered.

Even better, our ready-made DIY display packs take all the guesswork out of planning. Just light the fuse, step back, and take the glory.

Browse our display packs now – and make your next celebration go off with a bang.

Looking for More Firework Events To Add To Your Diary This Year?

We’ve rounded up the biggest and best UK firework events happening throughout 2025. Bookmark our guide here: 2025 UK Firework Event Dates for Your Diary

Whether you're after traditional Bonfire Night spectaculars or exhilarating pyromusicals, we’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to.