Chatteris Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Chatteris poster

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

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

The Bonfire Night has been adopted as an annual event over the years.

Why do people love the festivities so much?

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

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

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

This happened in 1605, and people have been celebrating the Bonfire Night ever since.

There was a lot of anger against the king due to the fact that many thought he was against the Catholics.

At that time, Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes were Catholics with the vision that only an armed struggle would reinstate Catholicism to the rightful place.

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

The plan was to kill the king during the process.

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

After they learned about the plan, the other conspirators were taken into custody here.

The Parliament made a statement about the situation and shared the fact 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 of lighting up bonfires.

Which eventually took us to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities all over the UK.

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a community focused event despite the fact that it's origins are sinister.

The celebration was renamed at the beginning of the 20th century because the focus was on having fun.

As the 20th century went on, the event looked similar to what we are seeing today.

There are attractions for Bonfire Night.

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

In the countryside, you usually have large bonfires and local events, food and drinks being shared with the community, as well as 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 get to enjoy some great firework displays with some regions going out of their way to use incredible fireworks for a night to remember.

Some traditions are common:

  • The bonfires are more than just a symbol of failed complot, they are also used to cook all kinds of food. A lot of people make soup for the people watching 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 that people eat on Bonfire Night. There is a cake with syrup, ginger, oatmeal, and treacle.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to burn an effigy, a homemade model of a man, similar to a scarecrow. The effigy is usually made from straw or paper and stuffed into old clothes.
  • Some of the biggest cities in the country get some of the largest fireworks displays. You can find bonfires and firework displays 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 and try to get some money for fireworks a few days before the Bonfire Night. There are kids that blackened their faces in some parts of the country, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was about to blow up the Parliament.
  • It is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during 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.

Traditions related to the Bonfire Night.

People parade in costumes and use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers during Bonfire Night

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

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

Which foods are popular during Bonfire Night?

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

There are lots of foods associated with this event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas, treacle toffee, and the toffee apples 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 that they prepare around the 5th of November as well.

It is important to note that some families eat soup and share it with friends or family.

What should you wear at the event?

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

It is quite interesting that this is being prepared for the events.

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

It's important to keep in mind that a winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go here.

A proper outfit that protects you against the cold weather is more than welcome.

Summing up

Every year, Bonfire Night continues to become a staple event.

It is a great time for people to connect, celebrate and enjoy some amazing foods.

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's no denying that it's become 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 go on for many years to come.

Chatteris Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Chatteris, Fenland, Cambridgeshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, England, United Kingdom

Organiser: Chatteris Bonfire Night