Bournville Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Bournville poster

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

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

An annual event over the years, the Bonfire Night is one of those incredible celebrations.

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

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

What is the tradition of the Bonfire Night?

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

In 1605 this happened, and people have celebrated the Bonfire Night ever since.

At that time, 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 restore Catholicism to its rightful place.

The two supporters came up with a plan to blow up the palace.

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

A conspiracy member got cold feet after sending a letter to the parliament.

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

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

The Parliament decided to light up bonfires on the 5th of November in honor of being thankful for it.

We were eventually led to the Bonfire Night.

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

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

The celebration was renamed at the beginning of the 20th century by firework manufacturers to "Bonfire Night" because of the focus on having fun.

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

Bonfire Night attractions

There are a lot of great attractions and events in the UK.

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

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 get to enjoy some great firework displays, with some regions going out of their way to use incredible pyrotechnics for a night to remember.

Some traditions are common:

  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food and are not meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. Crowds come by to see the fireworks and a lot of people heat up soup for them. Some cooks wrap potatoes in a foil and cook them with marshmallows or sausages. There is a traditional cake called the parking cake that is eaten on Bonfire Night. The cake is made with syrup, ginger, oatmeal, and treacle.
  • During the Bonfire Night processions there is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders. This is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team made to blow up the Parliament building.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take the homemade Guy effigies on the street, trying to get some money for the fireworks. In some regions you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was planning to blow up the Parliament.
  • The biggest cities in the country get some of the biggest firework displays. You can find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country, even in rural areas.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to make a homemade model of a man and then burn it. The effigy is usually made out of paper or straw and stuffed with old clothes.

There are traditions associated with the night.

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

The failure of Guy Fawkes and his band as they tried to blow up the Parliament is a clear nod to that.

Most of the time, these events include a firework display and a large bonfire.

Which foods are popular during the night?

The Bonfire Night celebrations are more than just a celebration with bonfires and fireworks.

There are lots of foods associated with this event.

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

These are eaten all over the country, and some regions 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 other family members.

What should you wear to the events?

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

This approach is quite interesting, and is being prepared 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 the fact that a winter knit with a classical touch is 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 celebrate and eat amazing food.

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

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

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

Bournville Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Bournville, Birmingham, West Midlands Combined Authority, England, B30 1LJ, United Kingdom

Organiser: Bournville Bonfire Night