Great Burstead Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Great Burstead poster

Every year in Great Burstead, on November 5, we come together to celebrate Bonfire Night, all over the county of Essex we gather around the bonfire.

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

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has become an annual event and is one of those incredible festivities.

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

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

What is the Bonfire Night connected to?

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

This happened in 1605 and people have celebrated bonfires ever since.

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

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

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

The plan was to assassinate the king, who was in attendance.

A conspiracy member sent a letter to the parliament, however, he got cold feet.

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

The parliament shared that the conspirators were caught and punished.

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

Which, eventually, led us to the Bonfire Night.

Nowadays Bonfire Night activities are enjoyed throughout the UK

The origins of the event are sinister, but over the years it has become a community focused event.

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

The event of the 20th century looked more and more like what we are seeing today.

Which foods are popular during the night?

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

There are a lot of foods associated with this event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas, treacle toffee and other items are associated with the Bonfire Night.

Some regions have their own special meals that are prepared around the 5th of November.

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

What should you wear to the event?

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

This is in preparation for the events, and it is quite interesting.

The Bonfire Night is a great time to show off your winter clothes.

Something to keep in mind is that a winter knit with a classical touch is the best way to go here.

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

There are attractions for Bonfire Night.

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

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

Here are some traditions:

  • It is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during Bonfire Night. This is a nod to the plan that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • The bonfires are not meant to be just a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. A lot of people make soup for the people watching the fireworks. Some cook potatoes wrapped in a foil and also marshmallows or sausages. There is a parking cake that people eat on Bonfire Night. A cake with syrup, ginger, oatmeal, and treacle is very tasty.
  • The biggest cities get some of the largest firework displays. But in general you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country, even in rural areas.
  • The tradition is called "Penny for the Guy". A few days before the Bonfire Night, kids used to take the homemade Guy effigies on the street, trying to ask for some money for the fireworks. In some regions you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes tried to do when he was preparing to blow up the Parliament.
  • 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.

Traditions associated with the Bonfire Night

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

It's clear that this is a nod to the failure of the band that tried to blow up the Parliament as a celebration of independence.

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

In the end

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a staple event and it continues every year.

It is a great time for people to come together and enjoy some amazing foods.

It’s certainly one of those events that have impressed people over the years.

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there's no denying that it 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 event to continue for many years to come!

Great Burstead Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Great Burstead, Basildon, Essex, England, CM11 2RS, United Kingdom

Organiser: Great Burstead Bonfire Night