Light up your night!

As the crisp Autumn air descends upon us, families all over London are preparing to celebrate Bonfire Night in style. Firework displays are, of course, a beloved event every year, and there are many events held across London. So, we’ve rounded up some of the best and most spectacular firework displays being held across London this year.

Alexandra Palace Fireworks Festival (Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th November) www.alexandrapalace.com/whatson/ally-pallys-fireworks-festival-4

Easily one of the biggest and most breath-taking events of them all, the Alexandra Palace Fireworks Festival is an absolute must-see. Families can enjoy dancing to live music and tribute acts, scoffing down some street food and whizzing around the ice rink, whilst parents may enjoy a drink or two at the UK’s largest German Bier festival. The night ends with the festival’s famous panoramic views of London being lit up with dazzling pyrotechnics.

Battersea Park Fireworks (Saturday 4th November) www.batterseaparkfireworks.com

Battersea boasts the return of its iconic firework display this year, with a roaring bonfire and plenty of food and drink options too. Sunday night has an earlier start time as the more family-friendly display, with a light show instead of a bonfire. So, come prepared for glow-in-thedark face paint and a magical evening for all involved!

Harrow & Wembley Fireworks

(Saturday 4th November) www.harrowfireworks.co.uk

With a huge 20-minute musical fireworks display planned at the end of the night, Harrow Fireworks is an unmissable whole-day event. The funfair and bar marquee open at 12pm, whilst the market stalls and family zone, where kids can enjoy activities ranging from a caricaturist to a petting zoo, open at 1pm.

Our recommendations for the best Bonfire Night events in London TURN BACK TO PAGE 15

Dulwich Firework Display (Saturday 4th November) www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dulwichfirework-display-2023-kids-for-aquid-tickets-651601165627

Dulwich Firework Display is perfect for families with its “kids for a quid” deal that sees tickets for under-16s sold at just £1 each. When on site, you can help yourself to mulled wine, barbecue, pizza and more, in time for the glittery fireworks display at 7pm.

Beckenham Fireworks in the Park (Saturday 4th November) www.beckenhamfireworks.com

Beckenham Fireworks in the Park run their main fireworks display at 7:45pm, as well as a quieter display at 6pm for smaller children. This event is run by the Beckenham Scouts, who have been doing this event every year since 1946, so you’re in for a good time, with a funfair, tasty street food and warm drinks to see you through the night.

Exploring mental illness in children’s books

Imagine huge waves pounding the shore, rain pouring in torrents and wind whipping up the spray. After storms is the best time to go fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast in the South of England. Mary Anning, the Victorian palaeontologist, would often be seen fossil-hunting in Lyme Regis after a storm.

I grew up on the coast in Devon, digging enormous sand holes with my sister and scouring the tidelines for treasure. The idea of fossils emerging from the cliffs after a storm, like long-buried secrets from the past, inspired my book, The Tiger Who Sleeps Under My Chair. First, we meet Emma and