MATLOCK BATH ILLUMINATIONS: top tips for your visit

Matlock Bath Illuminations 2025 will due to run every Saturday and Sunday from September 6th to October 26th. This article will be updated when more information is announced.

Matlock Bath Illuminations is a long standing tradition (since 1897) where small boats along the River Derwent are decorated with twinkling lights. The first decorations were candle lights to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, but these days the boats are decorated in colourful electric lights, featuring Ghost Busters and a roving Carousel in recent years!

Held at Derwent Gardens, opposite the entrance to Gulliver’s Kingdom, Matlock Bath Illuminations takes place over September and October weekends. It’s a must do if you’re visiting Matlock or Matlock bath during this time, especially over the October half term.

It’s a fantastic event, and you will also find food stalls, fair ground rides (aimed at kids aged 5 and under), and roving entertainers.

Read on for our top tips for visiting Matlock Bath Illuminations in 2024:

Please note that photos used in this guide are from previous years.

1. Pre-book your tickets

This is a ticketed event; £8 for adults on firework nights and £7 on non-firework nights if booked online and in advance. Kids under 16 are free.

Your ticket gets you entry into Derwent Gardens (the only place where you can view the illuminations) where entertainment will take place throughout the night including jugglers, fire shows, brass bands and children’s activities.

Click here to check availability and pre-book tickets.

2. Know where you’re going

Matlock Bath Illuminations is held at Derwent Gardens in Matlock Bath (note that Matlock Bath is a different place to Matlock).

The entrance to the event is next to the Peak District Mining Museum (click here for entrance location). Though really you just need to follow the crowds to find where to go.

3. Know what time the illuminations start

Over the season, the start of the actual illuminations (when the boats switch their lights on) varies. Click here to check the event program for illumination start times. You don’t want to miss them, nor do you want to arrive too early and stand around waiting.

And for 2024 there are special themed night, including Pirates and Mermaids, Superheroes and Sci-Fi. Details are also found here on the entertainment programme.

4. Have the snacks ready whilst you wait for the Matlock Bath Illuminations to begin

There is a rather long drawn out introduction and history of Matlock Bath Illuminations before the lights actually switch on, and little ones may get rather fidgety (have sweets from the Pick ‘n’ Mix stand at the ready, or snacks from home). But once the lights come on – wowers… it really is a wonderful site!

Check out this video of the 2023 Matlock Bath Illuminations:

5. Be prepared for it to be busy

This event can get extremely busy, especially on the fireworks nights.

The quietest section to view the boat procession is across the bridge and to the right.

6. Time your arrival for parking

Parking nearby to the event can be an absolute nightmare. If you’re making a day of your visit to Matlock Bath and arriving before 4pm, you should be able to find parking at Matlock Bath Station (which is also the recommended car park for Heights of Abraham) or Temple Road car park (which is at the bottom of the road leading up to Gulliver’s Kingdom Matlock).

But the actual boat parade doesn’t start until 7pm in October and 8pm in September. So if you arrive to get a parking spot at 4pm, there will be a fair amount of hanging around (not ideal with young kids). It also makes for a very long day if you’re trying to tag it on to one of the Matlock Bath attractions.

There are a couple of other options for parking, if you want to arrive nearer to the time of the illuminations:

Park at Artists’ Corner (DE4 3PS). There is often plenty of space here. It’s then a 1.1 mile (1.7km) walk to Derwent Gardens. This is a flat walk along a pavement, but the road is very busy and loud. The walk through the main stretch of Matlock Bath is quite fun though, and you may want to stop for some fish ‘n’ chips (there is A LOT of choice).
Use the Park & Ride service that operates from 4.30pm to 10.00pm, every 15-20 minutes, on firework nights only – every Saturday in October and the final Sunday 27th October. The site is Cromford Meadows (post code DE4 3RQ) and drops off near Illuminations entrance in Pavilion car Park. The Park & Ride buses are fully accessible and well behaved dogs are welcome. Park & Ride costs £2.00 (return) per adult, £1.00 for children and under 5s are free.
Take the train to Matlock Bath Station and then walk the half mile / 800 metres to the entrance of Matlock Bath Illuminations. The train service is operated by East Midlands Trains.

7. Dress warmly and bring the waterproofs

The weather this time of year is notoriously unpredictable. Bring warm layers, and waterproofs. Comfortable, waterproof footwear is ideal if you’re walking from Artist’s Corner car park (hiking boots are always a good idea).

Additionally, there is a lot of standing around at the event and puddles to potentially walk through, so best to be comfortable.

8. Ride the fair ground rides BEFORE the illuminations display

There are a handful of small fair ground rides at the event, aimed at kids aged 5 and under. Rides are all 1 token each. You can pre-purchase tokens from the token stand (cards accepted).

1 token = £2.50
5 tokens = £10
All rides are 1 token per person to ride.

The queues for these rides immediately after the illuminations are long, and due to the crowds, it’s not easy to work out where they end to join.

Best to enjoy these rides before the illuminations display, rather than after.

9. Wait until after the first lap with the boats

If you are able to be patient to see the parade of boats, it is worth waiting for after the first lap, and initial buzz to die down. Most visitors crowd by the river to see the decorated boats on their first parade, but then move away and onto other activities.

Ten or so minutes later you can have a fantastic, more relaxed riverside view as the boats go up and down the river (for at least another half an hour). This works really well with little ones and they may get a few waves from the boat drivers. The wonderful commentator continues to talk, so you don’t even miss any information.

If so desired, your kids could ride the (almost deserted) funfair during the first parade. All in all, a more joyful experience.

10. Cash needed for the glow-in-the-dark-twizzly-things

Cards are accepted for payment throughout the event (for the rides and food stalls).

BUT… if you want to pick up a glow-in-the-dark-twizzly-thing at the entrance (I’m sure there’s a more accurate name), then you need to have cash.

11. Treat yourselves to fish ‘n’ chips

Matlock Bath is often referred to as ‘Derbyshire-on-Sea’, and even though it’s a very long way to any actual seaside, there are no less than 8 fish ‘n’ chip cafes along it’s 800 metre ‘promenade’. So either before or after visiting the Illuminations, treat yourselves to a fish ‘n’ chippy.

12. Use your ticket for a discount to Heights of Abraham

For 2024, your Matlock Bath Illuminations ticket comes with 20% off entry to Heights of Abraham. This must be used on the same day of your visit to the Illuminations. Book online using this link. Show your illuminations e-ticket when you arrive to Heights of Abraham to verify you’re entitled to the special discount.