By Jonnii, L&B Marketing ·
Bonfire Night and Remembrance weekend in Folkestone: where to eat and warm up
Folkestone’s Fireworks Night is on Sunday 1 November 2026 at the Alcaline Stadium on Cheriton Road, the home of Folkestone Invicta FC. Gates open at 4PM and the fireworks start at 6:30PM. Tickets are £15 for adults and £10 for children aged 5 to 15, and under-5s go free.
Bonfire Night itself falls on Thursday 5 November this year, but the town’s big display is the Sunday before. The following weekend is Remembrance weekend, with a lantern parade on The Leas on Saturday 7 November and the Remembrance Sunday service on 8 November. Here are the dates and times from the organisers, and where to get a hot meal nearby.
Fireworks Night, Sunday 1 November
Folkestone Invicta’s display is back at the Alcaline Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone CT19 5JU, with gates open at 4PM and the fireworks starting at 6:30PM. Tickets are:
- Adult (16 and over): £15
- Child (5 to 15): £10
- Under 5: free
The club says the night sells out every year. If there are tickets left on the gate, each one costs £2 more and there are no family tickets on the gate. Sparklers and drinks aren’t allowed in, and you can’t bring your own food or alcohol. The event can be cancelled or moved if the weather’s bad, so check the club’s page on the day.
Buy tickets and read the full terms on the Folkestone Invicta fireworks page. The night is also on the Folkestone & Hythe District Council events list.
Earlier that afternoon, the Harbour Arm’s free film at 1PM is Eight Legged Freaks (12). There’s more on the autumn films in our half-term guide.
Remembrance weekend in Folkestone
Millions of men and women passed through Folkestone on their way to and from France in the First World War, and the town marks Remembrance every November. These are this year’s public events, with details from the organisers.
Dedication of the Garden of Remembrance, Sunday 1 November, 2PM
Folkestone Town Council’s Remembrance services begin with the Dedication of the Garden of Remembrance on Sandgate Road at 2PM. The public are asked to gather by 1:40PM. The service is led by the Mayor’s Chaplain, and Regiment Crosses stay in the garden through November. Details: Local Rags and the council events list.
Folkestone Harbour Remembers, Friday 6 to Wednesday 11 November
There’s a free exhibition in Customs House at the harbour, open 11:30AM to 4PM, about the harbour’s role in both World Wars. The lower track of the Old Harbour Station is decorated with 800 poppies, to remember those who gave their lives. Details: Folkestone Harbour Arm.
Son et Lumière Remembrance Parade, Saturday 7 November, 6PM
The New Folkestone Society’s free lantern parade gathers outside The Grand on The Leas at 5:45PM and sets off at 6PM, led by a regimental drummer. These times are the organiser’s, and all are approximate:
- 6:20PM: poetry and letter readings at the Leas Bandstand
- 6:50PM: the Last Post at the Step Short arch
- 7:15PM: the parade reaches the Town Hall
- 7:20PM: music from the Friends of the Royal British Legion Community Choir and reflection at the Parish Church of St Mary & St Eanswythe, Church Street
It should finish at around 9PM. The first 150 people get a battery lantern. Bring a battery tealight or lantern of your own if you can, but no real candles. You can join at any point along the route. Details: New Folkestone Society.
Remembrance Sunday service and parade, Sunday 8 November, 10:30AM
The service and parade start at 10:30AM at the War Memorial at the top of the Road of Remembrance. Veterans who’d like to march in the main column should go to the Leas Cliff Hall from 10:10AM for instructions from the Parade Commander. Organisations laying a wreath need to tell Folkestone Town Council before Thursday 5 November.
Machine Gun Corps service, Wednesday 11 November, 11AM
On Armistice Day, the Royal British Legion holds a service at the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) Memorial in Cheriton Road Cemetery. It starts at 11AM, and people are asked to gather by 10:50AM. Everyone is welcome. Details: Local Rags and the Royal British Legion Cheriton & Morehall branch.
Where to eat and warm up nearby
Our three pubs, The Pullman, The Ship Inn and Harbour Inn, keep the same hours on both Sundays: open 10AM to 10PM, with breakfast from 10AM to 12 and food all day until 8PM. The Sunday roast is on at all three, served right through until 8PM. On Saturdays, breakfast is 10AM to 12, lunch 12 to 3PM and dinner 5 to 9:30PM, and the doors stay open until midnight. There’s a kids’ menu at The Pullman, The Ship Inn, Harbour Inn, Luben and Panataria.
In town: The Pullman
7–9 Church Street, Folkestone CT20 1SE
The Pullman is our first pub, in the middle of town, and there’s a fire in the colder months. It’s about a 30-minute walk (2.3km) to the Alcaline Stadium, so a Sunday roast here before the fireworks works well. Food is served until 8PM on Sundays.
On Saturday 7 November, the Son et Lumière parade ends at the parish church, which is on the same street, about two minutes’ walk away. Dinner is served until 9:30PM on Saturdays.
By the harbour: Harbour Inn
24–26 Harbour Street, Folkestone CT20 1QN
Harbour Inn is a short walk from the Harbour Arm and the poppies at the Old Harbour Station. It’s known for its mussels and seafood, and it does the same Sunday roast as The Pullman. The stadium is about a 35-minute walk (2.6km).
In Sandgate: The Ship Inn
65 Sandgate High Street, Sandgate CT20 3AH
The Ship Inn is on Sandgate High Street, and the restaurant has a sea view. It’s good for a long Sunday lunch after a walk along the seafront. It’s about a 35-minute walk (2.5km) to the stadium. On Friday 6 November there’s live music from Lucy May Walker, 7PM to 9PM.
On Rendezvous Street: Cat & Fiddle and Luben
Cat & Fiddle, at 13 Rendezvous Street, is open Wednesday to Saturday and closed Sunday to Tuesday, so it’s not open on either Sunday. On Saturday 7 November it’s open from 12 noon to midnight, with food served from 12 noon until 9:30PM. It’s walk-in only, and the food menu has wood-fired pizzas made by Luben and loaded fries. It’s about three minutes’ walk from the parish church. See Cat & Fiddle menu
Luben, at 24 Rendezvous Street, does wood-fired pizza. It’s open 12 noon to 9:30PM on Saturdays and 12 noon to 8PM on Sundays, and children are welcome. See the Luben menu
Getting there
The Alcaline Stadium is on Cheriton Road, Folkestone CT19 5JU. The club says parking may be available but is limited, and suggests public transport. Walking times from our venues, worked out on OpenStreetMap walking directions:
- The Pullman, Cat & Fiddle or Luben: about 30 minutes (2.2 to 2.3km)
- Harbour Inn: about 35 minutes (2.6km)
- The Ship Inn: about 35 minutes (2.5km)
For the Son et Lumière parade, The Grand on The Leas is about 20 to 25 minutes’ walk from The Pullman (1.7km), or about 20 minutes from The Ship Inn (1.5km). Wrap up warm. The organisers suggest sensible shoes and warm coats, and maybe an umbrella.
Coming from further away? London & Paris Hotel, next door to Harbour Inn on Harbour Street, has eleven adults-only rooms.
Booking
Sunday lunchtime fills up first, so it’s worth booking for either Sunday. Use the Book a table button and pick your pub, and please mention any allergies when you book. Breakfast is walk-in only, and Cat & Fiddle and Panataria don’t take bookings, so just come along.
Restaurant Week starts the next day, Monday 9 November, with two courses for £20.26 at four of our venues. See our Restaurant Week guide, and for everything else at L&B, see What’s on.
Questions
When is Folkestone Fireworks Night 2026?
Sunday 1 November 2026, at the Alcaline Stadium on Cheriton Road, home of Folkestone Invicta. Gates open at 4PM and the fireworks start at 6:30PM.
How much are tickets for the Folkestone fireworks?
Adults (16 and over) are £15, children aged 5 to 15 are £10, and under-5s go free. The club says it sells out every year, so buy in advance. If there are any tickets on the gate, they cost £2 more.
Where can I eat before the fireworks?
The Pullman on Church Street, Harbour Inn on Harbour Street and The Ship Inn in Sandgate all serve food all day on Sundays until 8PM, and the Sunday roast is served right through until 8PM. Luben on Rendezvous Street is open 12 noon to 8PM on Sundays.
Is Cat & Fiddle open on Sunday 1 November?
No. Cat & Fiddle is closed Sunday to Tuesday. It's open Wednesday to Saturday, so you can go on Saturday 7 November, when it's open from 12 noon to midnight, with food served until 9:30PM.
When is Remembrance Sunday 2026 in Folkestone?
Sunday 8 November 2026. The service and parade start at 10:30AM at the War Memorial at the top of the Road of Remembrance.
When is the Son et Lumière Remembrance Parade?
Saturday 7 November 2026. People gather outside The Grand on The Leas from 5:45PM and the parade sets off at 6PM. It finishes at the Parish Church of St Mary & St Eanswythe on Church Street at around 9PM. It's free.
Is there a poppy display at Folkestone Harbour?
Yes. The lower track of the Old Harbour Station is decorated with 800 poppies, and there's a free exhibition in Customs House from Friday 6 to Wednesday 11 November, 11:30AM to 4PM.
Do I need to book?
For Sunday lunch, yes, it's best to. Use Book a table on our website. Breakfast is walk-in only, and so are Cat & Fiddle and Panataria.
Fancy it? Book a table.
Book a table →Written by Jonnii, L&B Marketing.