Helmshore Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Helmshore poster

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

What should you know about Helmshore's bonfire night?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has evolved into an annual event.

Why do people love the festivities so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind the 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 while also attempting to blow up the parliament in the UK.

This happened in 1605 and has been celebrated ever since.

At that time, there was a lot of anger against the king, since he was seen as being against the Catholics.

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

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

The plan was to assassinate the king because he was in attendance.

The conspiracy member sent a letter to the parliament after getting cold feet.

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

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

The Parliament decided to make the 5th of November a day to be thankful for and hence the tradition to light bonfires.

We went to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities all over the UK.

Despite the fact that its origins are sinister, Bonfire Night has become a community focused event over the years.

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

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

Which foods are popular during the night?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are not the only celebrations of the night.

There are plenty of foods associated with this event as well.

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

These are eaten all over the country, and some regions even have their own special meals prepared around the 5th of November as well.

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

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 an interesting approach to prepare for the events.

The Bonfire Night is a good 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 probably 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 need to dress up in a costume.

There are traditions associated with the evening of bonfires.

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

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

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

Bonfire Night attractions

There are some great 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, but there are also smaller events.

It's become a community-focused event for a lot of people because they enjoy the presence of other like-minded people.

You will also be able to enjoy some great firework displays, with some regions going out of their way to use incredible pyrotechnics for a night to remember.

These are some traditions that are common:

  • Some of the biggest cities in the country have large firework displays. You are bound to find firework displays and bonfires all over the country.
  • There's a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders. This is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to make a model of a man and burn it. The effigy is stuffed with old clothes and made out of straw or paper, which is supposed to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food and are not meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. People heat up soup for the crowds that come by to watch the fireworks. Some cooks wrap potatoes in a foil and cook them with marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional dessert people eat on Bonfire Night. The cake is made with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle.
  • Another interesting tradition is called "Penny for the Guy". Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street and try to get some money for the fireworks a few days before the Bonfire Night. In some parts of the world you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was preparing to blow up the Parliament.

In the end

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

It is a great time for people to celebrate and eat amazing foods.

Over the years, it has impressed people and is one of those events.

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that over the years it has evolved into 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.

Helmshore Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Helmshore, Helmshore Road, Flax Moss, Helmshore, Rossendale, Lancashire, England, BB4 4LQ, United Kingdom

Organiser: Helmshore Bonfire Night