For a family in Crouch End or Hornsey, Sunday is the sensible pick: an earlier show, a programme built for children, and no need to be out late.
If you want fireworks near Crouch End and Hornsey this year, Alexandra Palace has them on two nights: Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, in Alexandra Palace Park. Gates open at 4pm, according to the palace's own event page.
The festival has changed shape. Time Out reports it moves this year from a Friday and Saturday to a Saturday and Sunday, and gives the fireworks and drone show as 8pm on Saturday and 6pm on Sunday. The palace's page does not state show times, so treat those as Time Out's.
Saturday is the grown-up night. The palace lists DJ Eats Everything as headliner, a drone act called Celestial, and a German Bier Festival in the Great Hall with a Queen tribute act.
Sunday is a new Family Fun Day, with a Junior Jungle Kids Rave, a performance by BARRIOKE, a firepit for marshmallows and children's street food, according to Time Out.
Both days have a bonfire, marshmallow roasting, ice skating, funfair rides and street food, and the palace lists a new rooftop viewing option called Summit.
Tickets went on sale on 4 September and early bird has sold out, Time Out reports. It gives day prices from £18, a final release at £19.50 and £5 for under-10s. The palace's page summary showed a lower "from £11.50", so check the booking page for the price you will actually pay.
For a family in Crouch End or Hornsey, Sunday is the sensible pick: an earlier show, a programme built for children, and no need to be out late. The open question is how a crowd that size gets home, and it is one for the palace to answer before 7 November.
- The festival runs Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026 at Alexandra Palace Park.
- Gates open at 4pm, per the organiser's page.
- Time Out reports fireworks and drones at 8pm Saturday and 6pm Sunday.
- Saturday headliner is DJ Eats Everything; Sunday is a new Family Fun Day.
- Time Out reports per-day tickets from £18, a final release at £19.50 and £5 for under-10s; the organiser summary showed £11.50.
- Time Out reports the festival moves from Friday and Saturday to Saturday and Sunday.
Every factual claim in this story is linked to the evidence behind it. Where the newsroom has added judgement or framing, it is listed separately. Sources accessed 18 October 2026.
- Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival (business)
- Time Out: Alexandra Palace 2026 Fireworks Festival details (media)
Claim by claim (9 facts, 5 editorial judgements)
- The festival takes place on 7 and 8 November 2026 at Alexandra Palace Park. — business“Event Dates: November 7-8, 2026”
- Gates open at 4pm. — business“Gates Open: 4:00 PM”
- Time Out reports fireworks and drones at 8pm on Saturday and 6pm on Sunday. — media, 2026-09-10“Fireworks and drones at 8pm Saturday and 6pm Sunday (per research memo)”
- Time Out reports tickets went on sale 4 September, early bird sold out, from £18, final release £19.50, under-10s £5. — media, 2026-09-10“Per-day prices from £18, final release £19.50, under-10s £5 (per research memo)”
- The organiser page summary showed a 'from £11.50' price that conflicts with Time Out. — business“from £11.50”
- Saturday features DJ Eats Everything, drone act Celestial and a German Bier Festival with a Queen tribute act in the Great Hall. — business“DJ Eats Everything headliner; Celestial; German Bier Festival (per research memo)”
- Sunday is a new Family Fun Day with a Junior Jungle Kids Rave, BARRIOKE, a marshmallow firepit and children's street food. — media, 2026-09-10“Family Fun Day; Junior Jungle Kids Rave; BARRIOKE (per research memo)”
- Both days have a bonfire, marshmallow roasting, ice skating, funfair rides, street food and a new Summit rooftop viewing option. — business“bonfire, marshmallow roasting, ice skating, funfair rides, street food; Summit rooftop viewing (per research memo)”
- Time Out reports the festival moves from Friday and Saturday to Saturday and Sunday. — media, 2026-09-10“moves from Friday and Saturday to a Saturday and Sunday weekend (per research memo)”
- Judgement: The Sunday programme and earlier show make the festival more workable for families.
- Judgement: For a family in Crouch End or Hornsey, Sunday is the sensible pick: an earlier show, a programme built for children, and no need to be out late.
- Judgement: Alexandra Palace is the nearest big fireworks night to Crouch End and Hornsey.
- Judgement: Saturday is the grown-up night.
- Judgement: The question for the week before is how the crowd gets home.
