Bonfire Night and Firework Displays in Suffolk 2026

As soon as the clocks go back, the conversations start around Suffolk, and in all the local Facebook groups, about where the best place is to go and see a firework display. So I thought I’d save you a job and pull them all together in one place.

I first wrote about firework displays in Suffolk a few years ago, when it was mainly a round-up of the ones around Sudbury, Bury and Ipswich. A lot has changed since then, so this year I’ve started again from scratch and turned it into a guide to Bonfire Night across the whole of Suffolk. As well as the displays around Sudbury, Long Melford, Lavenham and Hadleigh, it covers Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, Ipswich and Woodbridge, and over on the coast there’s Lowestoft and Heveningham Hall near Southwold, plus Colchester, which is just over the border.

Long Melford Fireworks: What Happened to the Big Night Out?

If you’ve lived around Sudbury for any length of time, you’ll know exactly why I have to start here. For years, the Big Night Out in Long Melford was the firework display in this part of Suffolk. It was held at Melford Hall and at Kentwell Hall over the years, and it was far bigger than you’d ever expect from such a small village. People came from all over East Anglia for it and the roads into Long Melford would be packed. Growing up in Sudbury, I went to the Big Night Out from being a teenager and absolutely loved it, first going with my friends and then, years later, taking our own children when they were little.

For a lot of local families it became a fixed date in the calendar, and it was one of those events that different generations went to. Plenty of people who went as children went on to take their own children there too, which is why I think so many of us still search for it every autumn.

Unfortunately, the Big Night Out has now stopped for good, and as far as I can tell there aren’t any plans to bring it back. It’s a real shame, and Bonfire Night around Sudbury and Long Melford hasn’t quite felt the same since. The good news is that there are still some lovely displays nearby, which is what the rest of this guide is all about.

Sudbury Fireworks 2026: Great Cornard Firework Display at the Stevenson Centre

If you’re looking for fireworks in Sudbury, the Great Cornard Firework Display at the Stevenson Centre is the one to go to. It’s been going for a long time, and although it’s much smaller than the Big Night Out was, it’s still going strong and it’s a proper local, community feel kind of evening. I spotted the poster when walking past, so I took a picture of it to share with you.

This year it’s on Saturday 7th November. Gates open at 6pm, the bonfire is lit at 6.45pm and the main display is at 7.30pm. They also do a low noise display at 7pm. That’s ideal if you’ve got little ones who aren’t keen on the loud bangs, or anyone who finds the full display a bit much, because you can watch that one and head home early if you need to.

It’s also really good value. Tickets are £3 if you buy online or £4 on the gate, so it’s worth getting them in advance. You can find the ticket link and all the updates on their Facebook page, Great Cornard Firework Display.

Lavenham Fireworks 2026, Near Long Melford

If you’re near Long Melford, or you used to go to the Big Night Out and want something on that side of Sudbury, Lavenham Fireworks is only a few miles up the road on the Lavenham Playing Fields. It’s a fundraiser for the village primary school and preschool, so all the money from the night goes straight back to them.

This year it’s on Saturday 7th November. Gates open at 5pm and the fireworks start at 6.30pm, which is a nice early one if you’ve got younger children. There’s also music, face painting, a tombola and plenty of food, so there’s enough to keep everyone busy before the display.

Tickets work out cheaper if you get them beforehand. In advance they’re £5 for adults and £4 for 3 to 16 year olds, or £7 and £6 if you pay on the night, and under 3s don’t need a ticket. You can book on Ticketlab or pick them up from Heeks, Lavenham School or Lavenham Preschool. There isn’t much parking near the playing fields, so walking down is easiest if you’re in the village, and sparklers aren’t allowed on the field. Updates are on the Lavenham Fireworks Facebook page.

Hadleigh Fireworks 2026 at Hadleigh United FC

If you’re over towards Hadleigh, Hadleigh United Football Club hold a fireworks display at their ground, The Millfield on Tinkers Lane, to raise money for the club. It’s one of the earliest around here, on Friday 30th October, so it’s handy if you want to fit in more than one display. Gates open at 5.30pm and the fireworks are at 7.45pm. Prices aren’t up yet, so it’s worth checking with the club nearer the time.

Fireworks Near Sudbury: The Red Rose, Lindsey

For something a bit more grown up, The Red Rose pub at Lindsey Tye, between Sudbury and Hadleigh, is having a fireworks and bonfire night on Saturday 7th November from 6pm. There’ll be a bonfire, a BBQ and an outside bar, and live music carries on from 8pm. It’s a good one if you’d like to make an evening of it with friends after the fireworks. Contact the pub for the details.

Hartest Fireworks 2026 at The Crown, Near Bury St Edmunds

Another nearby option is the bonfire and fireworks at The Crown in Hartest, which is a lovely little village between Long Melford and Bury. It’s on Saturday 7th November, with gates opening at 5.30pm and the fireworks at 6.30pm. That’s a nice early time if you’ve got younger children who need to be home for bed.

It’s £5 each for adults and children, or £15 for a family of four, and under 2s go free. You don’t need to book because you just pay on the gate, but it’s cash only, so make sure you’ve got some on you.

Bury St Edmunds Fireworks 2026 at the Abbey Gardens

The Fireworks Night in the Abbey Gardens is the big one in Bury, and it’s a really popular evening. Around 4,500 people went last year, and it raised nearly £40,000 for St Nicholas Hospice Care. It’s run by St Edmundsbury Theatre Services together with St Nicholas Hospice Care and Bury St Edmunds Town Council.

This year it’s on Saturday 7th November. Gates open at 5pm and the display starts at 7.30pm. There are usually food and drink stalls, fairground rides and live music to keep everyone busy while you wait, so it’s worth getting there a bit early.

Advance tickets are £8 for adults, £5.50 for children or £22 for a family (up to two adults and two children), and under 3s go free with a paying adult. If there are any left, tickets on the gate are £10. Places are capped, so it’s best to book through the St Nicholas Hospice Care website beforehand rather than turning up and hoping.

Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club Fireworks 2026

If Saturday doesn’t work for you, Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club hold their fireworks night the evening before, on Friday 6th November, at their Haberden ground. Gates open at 6pm and the display is at 7.30pm, and there’s usually food and drink stalls and fairground rides too.

Ticket prices haven’t been announced yet, but they’ll be on sale through the Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club website. One thing to know is that there’s no parking on site, so either walk if you’re local or park at Rougham Lorry Park.

Stowmarket Fireworks 2026 at the Food Museum

A little further over, the Food Museum in Stowmarket is having a bonfire night on Saturday 7th November. Gates open at 5.30pm, the bonfire is lit at 7pm and the fireworks are at 7.30pm.

If you book before 18th October you get the early bird prices, which are £7 for adults and £4 for children, and 0 to 3 year olds go free. Tickets and parking information are on the Food Museum website.

Colchester Fireworks 2026 at Castle Park, Just Over the Border

I know this one’s technically in Essex, but Colchester is only a short drive from Sudbury and lots of us head there anyway, so I couldn’t leave it out. The King Coel’s Kittens Fireworks Spectacular in Castle Park is one of the biggest displays around here, with around 8,000 people going each year, and 2026 will be its 55th year.

Unlike most displays, this one is on Bonfire Night itself, Thursday 5th November. Gates open at 5.30pm with entertainment and food stalls, then there’s the Guy Parade at 7pm and the fireworks at 7.30pm. Being a school night it’s a bit of a late one, but there’s something about seeing the fireworks over the castle on the actual 5th.

Tickets are £13 for adults, £7 for children aged 5 to 15 and £1 for 3 and 4 year olds. Under 3s go free, but you still need to pick a free ticket for them when you check out. The main thing to know is that you can’t buy tickets on the night, so you’ll need to book through the King Coel’s Kittens website beforehand, and it usually sells out. All the money raised goes to buying equipment for local groups who need it. No alcohol, sparklers or dogs are allowed in the park (assistance dogs are fine).

Ipswich Fireworks 2026 at Christchurch Park

The biggest display in Ipswich is the one in Christchurch Park, which the 11th Ipswich Scout Group have been running since 1972. This year it’s a bit different, because rather than being on Bonfire Night weekend it’s a Halloween Fireworks Spooktacular on Saturday 31st October, so fancy dress is encouraged.

Gates open at 6pm, the fireworks start at 8pm and everything finishes at 10pm. The fireworks are set to music, and this year they’re adding lasers to the display for the first time. There’s also live music across three stages, a fairground, street food and a bar, fire and LED performers and a bonfire.

Tickets are £12.99 for adults and £8.99 for children aged 5 to 15, and under 5s go free. They’re only sold online through the Ipswich Fireworks website, and you can’t pay on the gate, so make sure you’ve booked before you go. There’s no parking at the park, so you’ll need to use one of the town centre car parks or get the bus, although there is a small amount of disabled parking you can book when you buy your tickets. The park gates on Soane Street, Fonnereau Road, Park Road and Westerfield Road all open at 6pm.

Ipswich Fireworks Festival 2026 at Trinity Park

If you’d rather go on Bonfire Night weekend itself, the Ipswich Fireworks Festival at Trinity Park (the Suffolk Showground, on the Felixstowe Road side of Ipswich) is on Saturday 7th November. It’s more of an afternoon and evening out, with gates opening at 3.30pm, acts on stage from 4pm and the fireworks at 8pm. There’s also a bonfire, a fun zone for the children, street food and a bar.

Early bird tickets are £16 for adults, £12 for teenagers aged 13 to 17 and £7 for children aged 5 to 12, and under 5s go free. You can book online up until 1st November. There are a limited number of tickets on the gate, but they cost more, so it’s worth booking ahead. It goes ahead whatever the weather, so wrap up warm.

Low Noise Fireworks Near Ipswich: Jimmy’s Farm

If you’ve got little ones who don’t like loud bangs, Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park, just outside Ipswich, has a low-bang fireworks night. The display is choreographed to music and keeps the big bangs to a minimum, so it’s a gentler way to do Bonfire Night. This year it’s on Sunday 1st November, from 4pm to 8pm, and you book through the Jimmy’s Farm website.

Woodbridge Fireworks 2026: Rendlesham Fireworks Extravaganza

Over towards Woodbridge, Rendlesham Parish Council’s fireworks at Jubilee Park are free to get into, which makes a big difference if you’re taking the whole family. It’s on Sunday 1st November, with gates opening at 4pm and the fireworks at 6.30pm, and there’s a funfair, a bar and food on site too.

Heveningham Hall Fireworks 2026, Near Southwold and Framlingham

If you’re over on the coast side of Suffolk, Heveningham Hall near Halesworth is the big one, and it’s only a short drive from Southwold and Framlingham. As well as a bonfire and fireworks, they have a headline music act every year, and for 2026 it’s UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, so there’s plenty for the grown-ups too.

It’s on Saturday 7th November. Gates open and the live music starts at 4.30pm, the fireworks are between 7pm and 8pm, and the main act is on after the fireworks, with a DJ carrying on until 11pm. There’s a fairground (you pay for rides separately on the night), lots of food vans and bars, and parking is free.

Tickets are £25 for adults (15 and over) and £10 for children aged 2 to 14, plus a £1 booking fee each, and under 2s go free. They’re only sold in advance through the Heveningham Hall Fireworks website, there are no tickets on the gate, and they’re non-refundable. Dogs and sparklers aren’t allowed. All the profits go to the Heveningham Hall Country Fair Trust, which supports local causes including the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Lowestoft Fireworks 2026 at Lowestoft and Yarmouth Rugby Club

Up in Lowestoft, the rugby club’s fireworks are at their Gunton Park ground in Corton, on the northern edge of town, on Saturday 7th November from 5pm to 9pm. This year there are two displays, a quieter one at 6.30pm for younger children or anyone who’d rather skip the loud bangs, and then the full display at 8pm. There’s a funfair and food and drink stalls while you wait.

Tickets are £7 each plus a booking fee, and under 5s go free without needing a ticket. You can only buy them online and there aren’t many, so it’s worth booking early. There’s no parking at the club (apart from a small amount of disabled parking you can arrange by emailing them), but you can park at Pleasurewood Hills nearby for £3.20.

Pleasurewood Hills Fireworks 2026, Lowestoft

If you’d like to make a whole day of it, Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft is ending its season with a fireworks finale on Sunday 1st November. The park opens at 10am, so you can do the rides during the day and then stay on for the evening, when there’s a firework display set to music, a DJ and fire performers. Tickets are limited and you book through the Pleasurewood Hills website.