Newington Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Newington poster

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

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

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

Why do people enjoy these festivities so much?

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

What is a common association with Bonfire Night?

The main reason why Bonfire Night exists in the UK is because it’s 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.

This happened in 1605 and people have celebrated bonfires 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 that an armed struggle would bring Catholicism back to it's rightful place.

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

The plan was to kill the king while he was there.

A conspiracy member got cold feet and sent a letter to parliament.

The conspirators were taken into custody after they learned about the plan.

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

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

It led us to the Bonfire Night.

In the UK, Bonfire Night activities are enjoyed in many places.

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

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 similar to what we are experiencing today.

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 with food and drinks shared with the community.

It has 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.

Here are some traditions that exist:

  • Some of the biggest cities in the country get some of the largest firework displays. There are bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country, even in rural areas.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street and try to get some money for fireworks a few days before Bonfire Night. 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 make a model of a man and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of straw or paper and stuffed with old clothes to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • The bonfires are not only meant to be a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. The crowds come by to see the fireworks and a lot of people heat up soup for them. Some cooks cook potatoes wrapped in a foil with marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that people eat on the evening of Bonfire Night. This cake has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it’s very tasty.
  • The tradition is to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the Bonfire Night processions. This is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.

What are you going to wear to the events?

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

This approach is quite interesting and is in preparation for the events.

The Bonfire Night is a great time for most people to show off their winter gear.

It's important to keep in mind that a winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go here.

If you want to protect yourself against the cold weather, a proper outfit is more than welcome.

Traditions associated with the night of the bonfire.

People parade in costumes and 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 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 large bonfire.

Which foods are popular during the night?

The celebration with bonfires and fireworks is not the only thing going on.

There are many different foods associated with this event.

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

Some regions have their own special meals prepared around the 5th of November as well.

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

At 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 great food.

Over the years, it has been one of the most impressive events.

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that it became a more community-friendly event.

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

Newington Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Newington, Elephant and Castle, London Borough of Southwark, London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom

Organiser: Newington Bonfire Night