Abertillery Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Abertillery poster

Every year in Abertillery, on November 5, we come together to celebrate Bonfire Night, with fireworks lighting up the skies across the county of Blaenau Gwent.

What should you know about Abertillery's bonfire night?

The annual celebration of the Bonfire Night has been adopted as an annual event over the years.

What is it that makes people love these celebrations so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind the popularity of the Bonfire Night by reading this quick rundown.

What is a common association with Bonfire Night?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to assassinate King James I is because of the Bonfire Night celebrations.

Since 1605 people have celebrated the Bonfire Night.

At that time, there was a lot of anger against the king, since he was seen as being intolerant against the Catholics.

Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes were Catholics who believed in an armed struggle to bring Catholicism back to it's rightful place.

The two supporters came up with a plan to blow up the Palace of Westminster.

The king was in attendance, so the plan was to kill him during the process.

A conspiracy member got cold feet and wrote a letter to the parliament.

The other conspirators were taken into custody here after they learned about the plan.

The Parliament made a statement about the situation and shared the fact that the conspirators were caught and punished.

The Parliament decided that the 5th of November would be a day to be thankful for.

We decided to attend the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities in many locations in the UK.

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a community-focused event despite its origins being sinister.

The celebration was renamed at the beginning of the 20th century because the focus was on having fun.

As the 20th century progressed, the event looked more and more similar to what we are experiencing today.

Which foods are most popular during Bonfire Night celebrations?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are not the only celebration of the night.

There are a lot of things associated with this event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas and treacle toffee are just some of the things that are associated with the Bonfire Night.

These are eaten throughout the country, and some regions even have their own special meals prepared around the 5th of November as well.

It is important to note that some families share their soups with friends and family members.

What should you wear on Bonfire Night?

Depending on where they live, people tend to dress up in various costumes for Bonfire Night.

This is in preparation for the events.

The Bonfire Night is a good time for most people to show off their winter wardrobe.

Something to keep in mind is that a winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to travel here.

You don't have to dress up in a costume, but a proper outfit that protects you from the cold weather is more than welcome.

There are traditions associated with the Bonfire Night.

People parade in costumes and use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers.

This is a clear nod to the failure of Guy Fawkes and his band as they tried to blow up the Parliament, a celebration of independence, but in a safe way.

Most of the time, these Bonfire Night events end with a firework display and large bonfire.

There are attractions at Bonfire Night

There are many amazing attractions in the UK.

In the countryside, you mostly have large bonfires and local events with food and drinks shared with the community.

For a lot of people, Bonfire Night is now a community-focused event where everyone has a great time and they enjoy the presence of other like-minded people.

You will also get to enjoy some great firework displays with some regions going out of their way to use incredible fireworks for a night to remember.

Here are some traditions that exist:

  • It is very common for people in the UK to make a model of a man and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of straws or paper and stuffed with old clothes.
  • Some of the biggest cities in the country have large firework displays. Even in rural areas, you will find amazing firework displays and bonfires all over the country.
  • There is a tradition called "Penny for the guy". Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to get some money to buy fireworks. In some regions you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes tried to do when he was planning to blow up the Parliament.
  • The bonfires are not meant to be just a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. Crowds come by to see the fireworks and a lot of people make soup for them. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil and also marshmallows and sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that is eaten on Bonfire Night. It has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very delicious.
  • There’s also a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the Bonfire Night processions. This is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had for blowing up the Parliament building.

At the end

Bonfire Night has become a staple event over the years, and it continues every year.

It is a great time for people to come together and enjoy some amazing foods.

It is one of the events that has impressed people over the years.

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that it shifted towards being a more community-friendly event over the years.

The most important parts of Bonfire Night are happiness and a good time, and we can expect this event to continue for many years to come!

Abertillery Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, Cymru / Wales, NP13 1UJ, United Kingdom

Organiser: Abertillery Bonfire Night