Wandsworth Council Fireworks Display, Battersea Park, London

I think Battersea Park Fireworks 2024 has brought me to the end of my involvement with any of the big fireworks displays in London. It was extremely jarring - the music being played before/during the display was without doubt above safe levels. People were having to cover their ears. The assault course of capitalism that you have to go through to get to the fireworks (and then traps you in there when the fireworks have finished, with people not being able to exit due to extreme and unsafe crowding) was enough to ruin the evening, before the painfully loud music. The opposite of wholesome - for me, a huge part of the (apparently now historic) draw of fireworks night. No bonfire. No Guy Fawkes related fun. After paying £20 for a ticket they were confiscating bottles of water at the gate!!! To enter a PARK. That we'd paid to be in. And then boasted on the big screen about being sustainable and caring about the environment. Stinks of greenwashing after having had to walk through piles of pointlessly taken (and therefore completely wasted) plastic bottles on entry. The whole evening felt like the worst kind of hijacking of a special family event to make money (thereby ruining the fun we'd already paid to have). A money grab of the worst kind considering how much people look forward to (and make huge effort to come to) coming to these annual events. Shame on the council in my opinion. Next year I hope they at least don't break the law for safe sound levels so the people going don't have to deal with ringing in their ears and a jacked up nervous system on their way home.

What a disappointment! What have you done Battersea!? Tacky, overpriced and so commercialised. Years ago we'd try to go every year and the focus was about getting people together, have a huge bonfire then do a fab fireworks display.

Now it's more of just get people to stand in ridiculous queues for pricy food and drink, add some rides then squeeze everyone in the centre (extremely dangerously so) to watch a sub par display. Doubt I'll go again tbh

Battersea fireworks has always been a family institution but this year was so lacklustre and mediocre ruined mainly by the music or lack of a decent sound system.

The music of past years complimented the display with people dancing along but this year it was so soft you were left with a boring display bad sound and desire to leave as soon as over

The display was good (once it started), but got very freaked out by how many people were there. Very Very very overcrowded. Petrified I was going to lose my two young grandchildren. Lots of groups of adults there with no kids, all mainly drinking and out to have a good time............. but had no concept of the idea that families were around them (Swearing, standing in front of very small children, sometimes even falling over them). By 8.10 there were still crowds of people coming in. I am not sure if this was why there was a delay but do feel that If they had of started the Fireworks on time, I think it would of caused of surge with the hoards of people still coming in as they would of been worried about missing some of it. The worst part was trying to get out as it felt it was like survival of the fittest, with the fittest being people with no children, buggies or wheelchairs (not sure how health and safety standards were met here, as it was quite scary at one point when we were all being squashed together to get through one part where it became quite narrow. As stated earlier, the firework display although short, was fantastic, but very much spoiled by severe overcrowding and people drinking (bottles of broken glass on one part of the pathway while we were trying to get out) and unless this aspect of the event is seriously looked into, I doubt I will go again as I think it is an accident waiting to happen.

Typically, the council couldn't organise a p*ss up in a brewery. Far too crowded, over priced, and lame fireworks. Caged in at the end so no one could get out (took well over an hour in the end to exit the park). Crowds started jostling and surging. With young kids and pregnant ladies around I was seething. Arguements flared up everywhere for people queue barging at the bar / food stalls. People in groups quickly got seperated and it was a living hell. AVOID! Victor Meldrew.

I was looking for the display with great anticipation, however very disapointed. The music played on and on as if they had only one cd. I was hoping to have the same experience I had 7 years ago, with nice music, firedisplays coordinated with music. Paying £6 for just a mere fire display. That s a rip off. Clapham Common did a better display

Brilliant! The best fireworks show I've ever seen!

I went to the Battersea Park fireworks display with a couple of friends and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was well organised, as there was a lot of people there but, apart from a little bottleneck getting in to the park, there was not much queuing.

The fireworks themselves were incredible - they were all co-ordinated to set pieces of music and were timed beautifully and cleverly, with an excellent variation in both tempo and type of explosion. A particular highlight was the chorus of 'Purple Rain' by Prince accompanied by fantastic glowing purple rain-like fireworks.

The only criticism I would have is that the sound system was slightly under-powered for the volume required, so there was a bit of distortion on the music, but apart from that it was a brilliant show. I would definitely go again, as long as the weather holds up!