Banchory Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Banchory poster

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

What information is important to know about Banchory's Bonfire Night?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has been adopted as an annual event.

Why do people love these events so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind its popularity here.

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

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

This happened in 1605 and has been celebrated ever since.

There was a lot of anger against the king, since he was seen as being anti-Catholic.

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

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

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

A conspiracy member sent a letter to the parliament, but he was cold feet.

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

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

The Parliament decided to light up bonfires on the 5th of November because it was a day to be thankful.

Which eventually led to the Bonfire Night.

Nowadays Bonfire Night activities can be found throughout the UK.

Despite the fact that the origins of the event are sinister, it has become a community focused event over the years.

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

As the 20th century progressed, the event looked more and more like what we are seeing today.

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Nights?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are only part of the celebration.

There are a lot of foods associated with the event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas and treacle toffee 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, and these are eaten throughout the country.

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

There are attractions for Bonfire Night.

There are a lot of amazing attractions in the UK.

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

It has become a community-focused event for a lot of people, where everyone has a great time and they enjoy the presence of other like-minded people.

You can also 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 common traditions:

  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food, even though they are just meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. A lot of people make soup for the crowds that come by to watch the fireworks. It is possible to cook potatoes wrapped in a foil as well as marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake people eat on the Bonfire Night. This cake is made with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very delicious.
  • There are firework displays all over the country, with the biggest cities getting some of the biggest displays. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to burn an effigy, a homemade model of a man, very similar to a scarecrow. All of the effigy is stuffed within old clothes and made out of straw or paper.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street to ask for money for fireworks a few days before 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.
  • It is 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, in order to blow up the Parliament building.

There are traditions associated with the Bonfire Night

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

It is obvious that this is a nod to the failed attempt by Guy Fawkes and his band to blow up the Parliament as a celebration of independence.

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

What are you going to wear for the events?

Depending on where you live, people tend to dress up in different costumes on Bonfire Night

This approach is in preparation for the events.

The Bonfire Night is a great 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 normally the right way to go 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.

In the end

Every year, Bonfire Night continues, and has become a staple event.

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

Over the years, it's one of those events that have impressed people.

Even if the origins of the event are a bit darker, there is no denying that the event 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 many years to come.

Banchory Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Banchory, Aberdeenshire, Alba / Scotland, AB31 5TD, United Kingdom

Organiser: Banchory Bonfire Night