Halloween Fireworks for Spooky Celebrations

Fireworks for Halloween

Halloween has turned into one of the biggest party nights of the year, and a few well-chosen fireworks turn a garden into a proper spooky night. You won’t find pumpkins printed on the tubes – fireworks aren’t made specifically for Halloween – but plenty of them suit the mood perfectly: coloured smoke, crackling bursts, flickering strobes and deep orange and green effects.

What works best

•       Coloured smoke: green, orange, purple and black smoke grenades turn a garden into a fog-filled graveyard – and they photograph brilliantly.
•       Crackling and strobe cakes: fizzing, flickering effects that feel eerie rather than pretty. See barrages and cakes.
•       Fountains: ground-level colour that lights faces and costumes. See fountains.
•       Catherine wheels: spinning light on a fence post – a hit with kids. See Catherine wheels.
•       Sparklers: easy fun while the sweets get handed round. Shop sparklers.
•       Selection boxes: a mixed set if you’d rather not pick individually. See selection boxes.

Colours that suit the night

Shop by colour: red fireworks and blue fireworks.

Plan the evening

1.   Set up in daylight. Place fireworks, mark the safety line and check the wind before the party starts.
2.   Let trick-or-treaters finish. Wait until doorstep visits are done, usually after 8pm.
3.   Open with smoke and fountains while everyone comes outside.
4.   Fire your cakes – two or three is plenty for a garden party.
5.   Finish with sparklers and photos.
6.   Stop by 11pm – that’s the legal cut-off on 31 October.

The law on Halloween night

•       11pm cut-off. Halloween has no extension. Only Bonfire Night (midnight) and New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year (1am) go later.
•       Private land only. You need the landowner’s or council’s permission anywhere else.
•       Never throw a firework or set one off in the street. It’s a criminal offence and carries a fine – and Halloween is when it happens most.
•       18+ to buy. Shops can sell to the public from 15 October to 10 November, which covers Halloween.

Costumes, pumpkins and safety

Halloween adds fire risks that other firework nights don’t have:

•       Capes, wigs, tails and masks catch easily – keep costumes well away from sparklers, fountains and flames.
•       Use battery tea lights in pumpkins rather than real candles, especially near children.
•       Masks limit what children can see, so have them take masks off around fireworks.
•       An adult should hold sparklers for younger children, and never give sparklers to under-fives.
•       Keep a bucket of water for used sparklers, and keep decorations, hay bales and dry leaves clear of the firing area.

See our firework safety guide for the rest.

Pets, neighbours and trick-or-treaters

Doorsteps are busy on Halloween and pets are already unsettled. Keep your display short, let neighbours know roughly when you’ll start, and pick low-noise fireworks if you’re close to houses or animals. Smoke and fountains give plenty of atmosphere with almost no bang.

Buy for Bonfire Night at the same time

Bonfire Night is only five days after Halloween, and stock is at its best in October. Buying both in one order saves time and money – orders over £290 after any discount get free UK delivery. Look at our fireworks packages, best sellers and offers.