High Lane Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in High Lane poster

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

What should you know about High Lane's bonfire night?

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

But what does it signify and why do people love these festivities so much?

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

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to assassinate King James I is because of the Bonfire Night celebrations.

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

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

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

They 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.

A conspiracy member sent a letter to the parliament, but he was cold feet.

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

The Parliament made a statement about the situation and shared that the conspirators had been caught and punished.

The Parliament decided to make the 5th of November a day to be thankful for.

We went to the Bonfire Night because of that.

The UK has a lot of Bonfire Night activities.

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

The firework manufacturers decided to change the celebration's name to Fireworks Night at the beginning of the 20th century because it was focused on having fun.

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

What are you going to wear for the events?

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

In preparation for the events, this is quite an interesting approach.

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

Something to keep in mind is that a winter knit is usually the right way to go here.

A proper outfit that protects you against the cold weather is more than welcome, even though you don't have to dress up.

There are attractions during Bonfire Night.

There are many amazing attractions and events in the UK.

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

There are some common traditions:

  • During the Bonfire Night processions there is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders. This is a reference to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • Another interesting tradition comes in the form of “Penny for the Guy”. Kids used to take the homemade Guy effigies on the street, trying to get some money for the fireworks. In some parts of the world, you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was about to blow up the Parliament.
  • An effigy, a homemade model of a man, is very common in the UK. The effigy is stuffed with old clothes and made out of straw or paper.
  • The bonfires are not just a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. People heat up soup for the people coming by to watch the fireworks. It is possible to cook potatoes wrapped in a foil with marshmallows or sausages. There’s also a traditional cake that people eat on the Bonfire Night, named the Parking Cake. A cake with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle is very tasty.
  • The biggest cities in the country get some of the largest fireworks displays. But in general you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country, even in rural areas.

Which foods are most popular during Bonfire Night celebrations?

The Bonfire Night events are not only a celebration with bonfires and fireworks.

There are a lot of foods associated with this event.

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

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

Some families share their soups with their friends or family members.

Traditions related to the Bonfire Night.

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

It is clear that this is a 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 way.

There is a firework display and a large bonfire at most of the time.

Summing up

Every year, Bonfire Night continues as a staple event.

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

One of the things that have impressed people over the years is the event.

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that over the years the event has become a more community-friendly event.

The most important parts of Bonfire Night are happiness and good time, and we can expect this event to continue for many years to come.

High Lane Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: High Lane, Middlewood Way, Marple, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, SK7 6NW, United Kingdom

Organiser: High Lane Bonfire Night