Broxburn Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Broxburn poster

Every year in Broxburn, on November 5, we come together to celebrate Bonfire Night, all over the county of West Lothian we gather around the bonfire.

What should you know about Broxburn's bonfire night?

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

So why do people love these festivities so much?

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

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 while also attempting to blow up the parliament in the UK.

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

There was a lot of anger against the king since he was seen as being against the Catholics.

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

Two of the supporters came up with a plan to blow up the Palace.

The king was in attendance and the plan was to assassinate him.

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

The conspirators who were involved in the plan were taken into custody here once they learned about it.

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

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

We were eventually led to the Bonfire Night.

There are a lot of Bonfire Night activities in the UK.

Bonfire Night has become a community focused event despite the fact that its origins are sinister.

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

The event of the 20th century was more similar to what we are experiencing today.

Which foods are popular during Bonfire Night?

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

There are a lot of foods associated with this event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas, treacle toffee and the toffee apples are some of the things 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.

Some families eat soups and share them with friends or family members.

What should you wear?

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

This approach 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 typically the right way to go here.

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

There are attractions during the night.

There are some amazing attractions and events in the UK.

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

For a lot of people, Bonfire Night has become a community 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 fireworks for a night to remember.

There are some common traditions:

  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food, which is why they are not just a symbol of the failed complot. A lot of people cook soup for the people who come 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 that is eaten on the Bonfire Night. A cake with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle is very delicious.
  • There is a tradition of carrying flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during Bonfire Night processions. This is a nod to the plans of Guy Fawkes and his team to blow up the Parliament building.
  • The biggest cities in the country have the largest firework displays. You are bound to find firework displays and bonfires all over the country, even in rural areas.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to ask for money for fireworks a few days before the Bonfire Night. In some regions, you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes tried to do when he was about to blow up the Parliament.
  • In the UK it is very common for people to make a model of a man and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of paper or straw and stuffed with old clothes to represent Guy Fawkes.

The Bonfire Night has traditions associated with it.

People use flaming torches, fireworks, and sparklers during Bonfire Night.

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

The majority of the time, these events end with a firework display and a large bonfire.

Bottom line

Every year, Bonfire Night has become a staple event.

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

It has impressed many 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 to continue for many years to come.

Broxburn Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Broxburn, West Lothian, Alba / Scotland, EH52 5AG, United Kingdom

Organiser: Broxburn Bonfire Night