Hungerford Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Hungerford poster

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

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

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

What is it that people love these celebrations so much?

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

What is the Bonfire Night connected to?

It is a way to celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes as he tried to assassinate King James I, while also trying to blow up the parliament.

This happened in 1605 and people have been celebrating it ever since.

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

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

The two and other supporters came up with a plan to blow up the Palace.

The king was in attendance, so the plan was to assassinate him.

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

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

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.

It eventually led to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities in many places in the UK.

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

The celebration was renamed 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 more and more similar to what we are experiencing today.

The Bonfire Night is associated with traditions.

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

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

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

There are attractions for Bonfire Night.

There are many amazing attractions and events in the UK.

In the countryside, there are usually large bonfires and local events, food and drinks shared with 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 see some great firework displays, with some regions going out of their way to use incredible fireworks for a night to remember.

There are some traditions that are common:

  • In the UK, it is very common for people to make a model of a man and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of paper or straw and stuffed with old clothing.
  • The bonfires are not meant to be a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. A lot of people heat up soup for the people who come by to watch the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil as well as marshmallows or sausages. People eat the parking cake on Bonfire Night. This cake is made of syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very delicious.
  • There is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during Bonfire Nights. Again, this is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the parliament building.
  • There are firework displays all over the country with the biggest cities getting some of the largest displays. There are bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country.
  • The tradition called "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting one. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to ask for money to buy fireworks. In some regions, you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes tried to do when he was planning to blow up the Parliament.

What should you wear to the Bonfire Night events?

People tend to dress up in different costumes depending on where they live on Bonfire Night.

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

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

Something to keep in mind is that a winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go there.

You don’t have to dress up in a costume, but a proper outfit that helps you protect yourself against the cold weather is more than welcome.

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Nights?

There are more than just bonfires and fireworks at the Bonfire Night events.

There are many foods associated with the event.

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

Some regions have their own special meals that they prepare around the 5th of November.

Some families share their soups with friends and family members.

Conclusion

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a yearly event.

It's a great time for people to celebrate and eat 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 is no denying that it became a more community-friendly event over time.

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

Hungerford Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Hungerford, West Berkshire, England, United Kingdom

Organiser: Hungerford Bonfire Night