New Town Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in New Town poster

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

What should you know about New Town's bonfire night?

The Bonfire Night is one of those incredible festivities and celebrations that have been adopted as an annual event over the years.

Why do people like 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 celebration of Bonfire Night.

In 1605 this happened and people have been celebrating bonfires ever since.

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

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

The two people came up with a plan to blow up the palace.

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

A member of the conspiracy sent a letter to the parliament but ended up getting cold feet.

Once they learned about the plan, Fawkes and Catesby as well as the other conspirators ended up being taken into custody here.

The Parliament stated 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.

Which eventually led to the Bonfire Night.

Throughout the UK, there are Bonfire Night activities.

Despite the fact that the origins of the event are sinister, it has become a community event over the years.

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

The event of the 20th century was more similar to what we are experiencing today.

Which foods are common during Bonfire Night celebrations?

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

There are many foods associated with the event.

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

Some regions have their own special meals that they prepare around the 5th of November, and these are eaten throughout the country.

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

There are attractions during the night.

The UK has many amazing attractions and events.

In the countryside, you mostly have large bonfires and local events, food and drinks being shared with the community, although smaller events also take place.

It has become a community-focused event for a lot of people because 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 pyrotechnics for a night to remember.

These are some traditions that are common:

  • The biggest cities in the country have some of the largest firework displays. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country.
  • The "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to ask for money to buy fireworks. There are kids that blackened their faces in some regions, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was about to blow up the Parliament.
  • In the UK it is very common for people 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 meant to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food, even if they are not meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. Crowds come by to see the fireworks and a lot of people cook soup for them. Some people cook potatoes in foil with marshmallows or sausages as well. The parking cake is a traditional cake eaten on the Bonfire Night. The cake has syrup, ginger, oatmeal, and treacle.
  • There is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders. This is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had in order to blow up the Parliament building.

There are traditions associated with the night.

People in costumes use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers on 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.

The majority of the time, there is a firework display and a large bonfire.

What are you going to wear for the event?

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

This is in preparation for the events.

The Bonfire Night is a great opportunity for most people to show off their winter clothes.

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

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

Summing up

Every year, there is a staple event called Bonfire Night.

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

It is one of the events that has impressed people over the years.

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 the event are happiness and a good time, and we can expect this to continue for many years to come.

New Town Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: New Town, Hope Mansell, Bailey Lane End, Herefordshire, England, HR9 5TS, United Kingdom

Organiser: New Town Bonfire Night