Harrogate Bonfire Night 2026: The Stray Bonfire
The Stray Bonfire is on Saturday 7 November 2026, with the bonfire lit at 6.30pm and fireworks at 7pm. Here is the running order, how to get there on foot, and the nearest places to eat and drink before and after.
In short: Harrogate's bonfire night is the Stray Bonfire on Saturday 7 November 2026, on the Stray by Oatlands Drive, near St Aidan's School. Music starts at 5pm, the bonfire is lit at 6.30pm and the fireworks start at 7pm. Entry is free, with a suggested £5 donation. There is no parking nearby, so walk in.
Everything you need for Harrogate bonfire night 2026: the Stray Bonfire's running order, how to get there, and where to eat before and after. Times come from Harrogate Round Table's own event page, and every venue below was checked on its own website on 27 October 2026.
When is the Harrogate Stray Bonfire 2026?
Saturday 7 November 2026, from 5pm to 9pm. Bonfire Night itself falls on Thursday 5 November, but Harrogate's big display is on the Saturday.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 5pm | Music starts, food and drink open |
| 6.30pm | Bonfire lit |
| 7pm | Fireworks |
| 7.25pm | UK Foo Fighters, a tribute band |
| 9pm | Event ends |
- 📅 Sat 7 Nov 2026
- ⏰ From 5pm, fireworks 7pm
- 💷 Free, suggested £5 donation
- 📍 The Stray, opposite Oatlands Drive
Good to know: the bonfire is run by volunteers from Harrogate Round Table, who say it costs around £15,000 to stage. The donations go to charity: the organiser names Mind and Samaritans.
How do I get to the bonfire on the Stray?
On foot. The Round Table says there is no parking in the immediate area and asks everyone to walk. The site is on the Stray alongside Oatlands Drive, close to St Aidan's School.
From Harrogate's train and bus stations it is about 1.3 km as the crow flies. From Oatlands and Hookstone it is closer still. Bring a torch for the paths home, and wear boots: the Stray is grass, and it can be wet underfoot in November.
Where to eat near the Harrogate bonfire
The organiser promises hospitality on site from 5pm. If you would rather eat properly, these are the nearest places in our directory, measured in a straight line from the bonfire site.
| Venue | Distance | Saturday | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Saints Coffee | 0.8 km | To 4pm | Brunch before |
| Oatlands Mount Fisheries | 0.9 km | 4pm to 8pm | Chips after |
| The Curry Counter | 1 km | To 10pm | Curry to take home |
| Balcony Sports Bar | 1.1 km | To 11pm | A pint, dogs welcome |
| Harrogate Tap | 1.3 km | To midnight | A drink by the trains |
| The Mucky Duck | 1.5 km | Food to 9pm | Pub dinner |
| Starling | 1.6 km | Food to 9pm | Families |
| Pizza Social | 1.6 km | 1pm to 9pm | Sourdough pizza |
| Tap and Tuk Tuk | 1.6 km | Food to 8.30pm | Curry and cask ale |
The Saints Coffee Harrogate
An Australian-style café a short walk from the bonfire, for coffee, baking and all-day brunch earlier in the day. It closes before the gates open, so this is a lunchtime stop.
- ⏰ Sat 7.45am to 4pm, kitchen to 3pm
- 🐕 Dogs welcome in the heated conservatory
- 📍 St Winifred's Avenue, Oatlands
Oatlands Mount Fisheries
The nearest fish and chip shop to the bonfire, and the obvious supper after the fireworks. Go straight after the display: it shuts at 8pm.
- ⏰ Sat 4pm to 8pm
- 💷 Fish £5.40 or £6.85, chips from £2.50, pies £3.75
- 📞 Phone orders on 01423 872953
- 📍 Mount Street, Oatlands
The Curry Counter
A Pakistani deli and café on Leeds Road, cooking the Haq family's recipes. Pick up curries on the way home, order online, or eat in at the café.
- ⏰ Sat 11am to 10pm
- 🍛 Deli, café and online orders
- 📍 Leeds Road, Oatlands
Balcony Sports Bar
A family- and dog-friendly bar at the cricket ground, pouring local craft beer, including a lager brewed in Harrogate. Its street food runs from May to August only.
- ⏰ Sat 12pm to 11pm
- 🍺 Harrogate-brewed lager £5.85 a pint
- 📍 St George's Road, Oatlands
Harrogate Tap
A beer freehouse in the old station building, with 12 cask handpulls and 15 keg taps. The right stop if you came by train or bus. Its site lists no food.
- ⏰ Sat 11am to midnight
- 🍺 12 cask and 15 keg lines
- 📍 Station Parade, Town Centre
The Mucky Duck
An independent pub in High Harrogate, with handmade pies, chops and cask ales. The best sit-down dinner after the fireworks, if you book.
- ⏰ Sat 12pm to 11pm, food to 9pm
- 🍽️ Book a table online
- 📍 Devonshire Place, High Harrogate
Starling
A bar and kitchen with Neapolitan-style pizza, a Fledglings section for children and every pizza available in a half size. Good for a family tea after the display.
- ⏰ Sat 10am to 11pm, food to 9pm
- 🍕 Pizza from 12pm, gluten-free bases and vegan cheese
- 📍 Oxford Street, Town Centre
Pizza Social
Sourdough pizza from a small pizzeria on Mount Parade. Book a table, or phone ahead to pre-order; dogs are not allowed inside and pram space is tight.
- ⏰ Sat 1pm to 9pm
- 📞 Pre-order by phone on 01423 565859
- 📍 Mount Parade, Town Centre
Tap and Tuk Tuk
Timothy Taylor's cask ales with a modern Asian kitchen, from pad thai to Korean fried chicken. The kitchen closes at 8.30pm, so book a table for straight after the fireworks.
- ⏰ Sat to 11pm, kitchen 12pm to 8.30pm
- 💷 Pad thai £13, fish and chips £18
- 📍 Cheltenham Parade, Town Centre
What should I bring to the Stray Bonfire?
Warm layers, boots, a torch and money for the suggested £5 donation. The Round Table publishes no list of banned items, but leave dogs at home: fireworks frighten most of them, and the crowd is big.
Harrogate bonfire night: questions
What time does the Stray Bonfire start?
Music starts at 5pm on Saturday 7 November 2026. The bonfire is lit at 6.30pm and the fireworks start at 7pm.
Is the Harrogate bonfire free?
Yes. Entry is free, and Harrogate Round Table suggests a donation of at least £5 a person for charity.
Where is the bonfire in Harrogate?
On the Stray opposite Oatlands Drive, close to St Aidan's School. There is no parking nearby, so arrive on foot.
Are there bonfires in Harrogate on 5 November?
Harrogate's big public bonfire is on Saturday 7 November 2026, not on Bonfire Night itself, which is a Thursday this year.