The race to crown the United Kingdom’s best theme parks, attractions and experiences has officially begun. Public voting for the 2026 UK Theme Park Awards opened today, giving fans the opportunity to decide which parks deserve the industry’s most prestigious honours.
Now in its seventh year, the awards celebrate excellence across the British attractions industry, with winners determined through a combination of public votes and an independent judging panel. This year’s ceremony will take place on 10 September at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Ten New Categories Introduced
The 2026 edition is the biggest yet, expanding to 22 award categories with ten new additions.
Among the new awards are:
- Waterpark of the Year
- Scream Park of the Year
- Best Halloween Event
- Best Christmas Event
- Best Landscaped Theme Park
- Best Theme Park Animal Exhibit
- Best Theme Park Holiday Village
- Theme Park Personality of the Year
The expanded line-up reflects the growing diversity of experiences offered by UK attractions beyond traditional rides and roller coasters.
The Biggest Contenders
Several of the UK’s best-known parks have received nominations across multiple categories.
Among the strongest contenders are:
- Alton Towers
- Thorpe Park
- Chessington World of Adventures
- LEGOLAND Windsor
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Drayton Manor
- Paultons Park
- Crealy
Many smaller regional parks have also earned nominations, including Adventure Island, Camel Creek, Fantasy Island, Flamingo Land, Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, Pleasurewood Hills, Twinlakes, Wicksteed Park and West Midlands Safari Park.
In total, 36 different parks are represented across this year’s awards.
More Than Just Theme Parks
The awards also recognise excellence beyond rides.
Categories cover customer service, value for money, marketing, accessibility initiatives, sustainability projects, live entertainment, seasonal events and even digital content creators, highlighting the many different aspects that contribute to a successful day out.
Voting Runs Until Late August
Public voting is open from 20 July until 28 August. Each person can cast one vote in every category, with the final results determined by a 50/50 combination of public votes and scores from an expert judging panel.
The winners will be revealed during the UK Theme Park Awards ceremony on 10 September, hosted this year at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, where the industry’s top parks, attractions and personalities will gather to celebrate another year of innovation and achievement in the UK’s theme park sector.
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