Allestree Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Allestree poster

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

What should you know about Allestree's bonfire night?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has become an annual event.

Why do people love the festivities so much?

Here are a few things you can do to get up to speed with the Bonfire Night.

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to assassinate King James I is because Bonfire Night is a way to celebrate.

The Bonfire Night was celebrated in 1605 and has been ever since.

At that time, there was a lot of anger against the king, since he was thought to be against the Catholics.

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

Two people came up with a plan to blow up a building.

The plan was to kill the king when he was in attendance.

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

The conspirators were taken into custody when they learned of the plan.

The Parliament made a public statement and shared that the conspirators were caught and punished.

The Parliament decided to make the 5th of November a day to be thankful for and therefore the tradition to light bonfires.

We ended up going to the Bonfire Night.

In the UK, Bonfire Night activities are enjoyed in many places.

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 by firework manufacturers due to the focus on having fun.

The event of the 20th century looked more and more like what we are experiencing today.

Traditions associated with the night of the bonfire.

People wear costumes and use fireworks, flaming torches, and sparklers on Bonfire Night.

It is clear that this is a 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 include a firework display and a large bonfire.

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Nights?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are not the only thing happening.

There are plenty of foods associated with this event as well.

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

Some regions have their own special meals that they prepare around the 5th of November.

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

Bonfire Night attractions

There are some great attractions and events in the UK.

In the countryside, there are usually large bonfires, food and drinks shared with the community, and smaller events.

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

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

There are some traditions that are common:

  • It is very common for people in the UK to burn an effigy, a homemade model of a man, very similar to a bird. This effigy is made out of straw or paper and stuffed with old clothes, it is supposed to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • The bonfires are not meant just to be a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. A lot of people make soup for the people coming by to watch the fireworks. Some even cook potatoes wrapped in a foil, but also marshmallows or sausages as well. The parking cake is a traditional cake people eat on the Bonfire Night. The cake is made with syrup, ginger, oatmeal, and treacle.
  • "Penny for the guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street, trying to get some money for the fireworks, a few days before the Bonfire Night. In some parts of the world you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was preparing to blow up the Parliament.
  • There is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during Bonfire Night. This is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had, in order to blow up the Parliament building.
  • There are firework displays all over the country, with the biggest cities getting some of the largest displays. But in general you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country, even in rural areas.

What should you wear on Bonfire Night?

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

It is an interesting approach in preparation for the events.

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

A winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go here, and certainly something to keep in mind.

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

Conclusion

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a staple event.

It is a great time for people to get together and enjoy some food.

Over the years it has been one of those events that have impressed people.

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

The most important parts of the event are happiness and a good time, and we can expect this to continue for years and years to come.

Allestree Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Allestree Hall, 5, Burley Lane, Quarndon, Derby, Derbyshire, England, DE22 2EU, United Kingdom

Organiser: Allestree Bonfire Night