Dorridge Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Dorridge poster

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

What should you know about Dorridge's bonfire night?

Every year, the Bonfire Night has been adopted as an annual event.

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

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind its popularity with a quick rundown.

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes tried to assassinate King James I is that it is a way to celebrate the failure of the event.

Since 1605 people have been celebrating Bonfire Night.

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

Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes were Catholics who believed in an armed struggle to bring about the return of Catholicism to its rightful place.

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

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

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 were caught and punished.

On the 5th of November, the Parliament decided to make it a day to be thankful.

We went to the Bonfire Night because of that.

There are many Bonfire Night activities in the UK.

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a community focused event despite its sinister beginnings.

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

The 20th century event looked similar to what we are experiencing today.

There are attractions at Bonfire Night

You are bound to find some amazing attractions and events throughout the UK.

In the countryside, you mostly have large bonfires and local events, food and drinks being shared with the community, but there are also smaller events.

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

There are some common traditions:

  • "Penny for the Guy" is another interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in the days leading up to the Bonfire Night to ask for money to buy fireworks. Kids 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. Again, this is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had, in an effort to blow up the Parliament building.
  • The biggest cities in the country get the largest firework displays. You are bound to find bonfires and firework displays all over the country, even in rural areas.
  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food, even though they are just meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. Many people heat up soup for the people coming by to watch the fireworks. It is possible to cook potatoes wrapped in a foil as well as marshmallows or sausages. There’s also a traditional cake that people eat on the Bonfire Night, named the Parking Cake. There is a cake with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle.
  • In the UK, it is very common for people to burn a homemade model of a man. The effigy is usually made out of paper or straw and stuffed with old clothes to represent Guy Fawkes.

There are some traditions associated with the Bonfire Night.

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

This is a clear nod to the failure of Guy Fawkes and his band as they tried to blow up the Parliament, a celebration of independence but in a safe manner.

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

Which foods are common during Bonfire Night celebrations?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are not the only thing happening on the night.

There are a lot of foods associated with the 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 prepared for the 5th of November.

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

What are you going to wear for the events?

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

It is an interesting approach in preparation for the events.

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

Something to keep in mind is 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, even if you don't wear a costume.

Bottom line

A staple event over the years, Bonfire Night continues every year.

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

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

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 to continue for years and years to come.

Dorridge Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Dorridge, Dorridge Road, Dorridge, Solihull, West Midlands Combined Authority, England, B93 8BT, United Kingdom

Organiser: Dorridge Bonfire Night