Bonfire Night in Queenstown
There is no official Guy Fawkes display in Queenstown. Here is what the night is actually like, where to watch it from, and the one thing to check first.
Bonfire Night in Queenstown
Guy Fawkes is 5 November, and in Queenstown it is a scattered, unofficial sort of night. There is no organised display in town. What you get instead is bursts going up around the basin wherever somebody has decided to have a go, which is either charming or a bit thin depending on how you feel about the tradition. Here is what the night is actually like here, where to watch it from, and the one thing worth checking first. Need wheels for it? Evolve Rentals brings the car to where you are staying in Queenstown.
Is There an Official Fireworks Display in Queenstown?
Not one that runs every year. Guy Fawkes here is a private affair rather than a civic event, so what you see is whatever goes up around the basin once it is dark. Queenstown has a large English contingent who keep the tradition ticking over, so there is usually something to look at, but nobody is putting on a show for you.
Worth knowing on timing: in early November it does not get properly dark here until well after eight. Anyone turning up at seven expecting the sky to light up will be standing in the cold for a while.
Where Is the Best Place to Watch?
Anywhere with a bit of height and a view back over the basin. The trick is to be looking at the town rather than standing in the middle of it. Our guide to the best views around Queenstown you can only reach by car has a few more ideas.
- The Kelvin Heights side, round the bay on Peninsula Road, which gives you the town and the lake in one frame.
- Frankton and the Frankton Arm, which catch whatever is going up at that end and are the closest of the three.
- Lake Hayes, about 20 minutes out on State Highway 6, if you would rather have the water and the quiet than the company.
All three are sealed the whole way and none of them needs any planning beyond deciding to go.
One Thing Before You Buy a Box
Central Otago dries out faster than it looks, and Fire and Emergency has banned fireworks across the Queenstown Lakes more than once. If you are thinking of letting any off yourself, check the current fire season on checkitsalright.nz before you spend the money. That is the whole warning and we will say no more about it.
Spare a Thought for the Dogs
Fireworks and dogs do not mix, and Queenstown has plenty of both. If yours does not cope well, the usual approach is a closed room, the curtains drawn, something noisy on in the background and somebody with them. If you are heading out to watch, that is one more reason to leave them at home rather than bring them along for the drive.
What Else Is On in November?
Early November is the quiet run in to summer, and it is one of the better months to be here. The Queenstown Marathon lands later in the month, the golf courses are in their best condition of the year, and the evenings have stretched out far enough that a drive is worth doing for its own sake.
Why the Car Helps
Every decent vantage point is a short drive out, and the whole thing is unpredictable by nature. You cannot know at six where the good stuff will be going up, and you cannot decide at half past eight that you would rather be on the other side of the lake unless the car is sitting there.
In Queenstown we bring the car to you. Nobody else here does that, and it is the entire reason Evolve exists.
Book Your Car for November
Pick your dates and we will bring it to you. Evolve Rentals.
FAQs
Is there a fireworks display in Queenstown on Guy Fawkes?
Not an organised annual one. Guy Fawkes here is private and scattered, so what you see is whatever goes up around the basin after dark.
When is Bonfire Night?
5 November, the same as in the UK. In Queenstown it does not get properly dark until after eight at that time of year, so nothing much happens before then.
Can you let off fireworks in Queenstown?
It depends on the fire season, which changes year to year. Fire and Emergency has banned fireworks across the Queenstown Lakes more than once, so check the current status on checkitsalright.nz before buying any.
Where is the best place to watch fireworks in Queenstown?
Somewhere with height and a view back over the basin. The Kelvin Heights side, Frankton, or out at Lake Hayes if you want it quieter.