Bacup Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Bacup poster

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in Bacup?

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

But what does it mean to people and why do they love them so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind the amazing popularity of the Bonfire Night in a few easy steps.

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

It is a way to celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes as he tried to assassinate King James I, and also to blow up the parliament.

This happened in 1605 and people have been celebrating it ever since.

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

Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes were Catholics who believed that an armed struggle would bring Catholicism back to its rightful place.

Two people came up with a plan to blow up the Palace.

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

However, a conspiracy member ended up getting cold feet and he sent a letter to the parliament.

The conspirators were taken into custody once they learned about the plan.

The Parliament made a statement about the situation and shared that the conspirators had been caught and punished.

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

Which led to the Bonfire Night.

Nowadays Bonfire Night activities are enjoyed all over the UK.

The origins of the event are sinister, but over the years it has become a community event.

The celebration was renamed to Fireworks Night at the beginning of the 20th century due to the focus on having fun.

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

The Bonfire Night has traditions.

During Bonfire Night people use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers.

This is a clear nod to the failure of the band that tried to blow up the Parliament, a celebration of independence but in a safe manner.

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

Which are the most popular foods during Bonfire Night?

As we mentioned earlier, the Bonfire Night events are not only a celebration with bonfires and fireworks.

There are many different foods associated with this event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas, treacle toffee and the toffee apples are all associated with the Bonfire Night.

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

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 you live, people tend to dress up in various costumes for Bonfire Night.

This approach is quite interesting and is in preparation for the events.

The Bonfire Night is a great time for most people to show off their winter clothes.

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

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

There are attractions during the night.

There are lots of amazing attractions and events in the UK.

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

Yes, for a lot of people Bonfire Night has become a community-focused event where everyone has a great 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.

Here are some traditions:

  • It is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during Bonfire Night. The plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building are a nod to this.
  • It’s very common for many people in the UK to burn an effigy, a homemade model of a man, very similar to a scarecrow. This effigy is meant to represent Guy Fawkes, and it’s usually made out of straw or paper, all of it stuffed within old clothes.
  • There are firework displays all over the country, with the biggest cities getting some of the biggest displays. Even in rural areas, you will find amazing firework displays and bonfires all over the country.
  • The bonfires aren't just meant to be a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook a lot of food. Many people heat up soup for the crowds to watch the fireworks. It is possible to cook potatoes wrapped in a foil with marshmallows or sausages. People eat a traditional parking cake on Bonfire Night. This cake is made with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very tasty.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to ask for 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.

Bottom line

Every year, Bonfire Night is a staple event.

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

It is one of the events that have impressed people in the past.

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 Bonfire Night are happiness and a good time, and we can expect this event to continue for a long time to come.

Bacup Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Bacup, Manor Street, Rockliffe, Bacup, Rossendale, Lancashire, England, OL13 0DS, United Kingdom

Organiser: Bacup Bonfire Night