North Holmwood Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in North Holmwood poster

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in North Holmwood?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has become an annual celebration.

Why do people love these festivities so much?

Here’s a quick roundup to help you get up to speed with the Bonfire Night, its starting point and the reasons behind its amazing popularity.

What is the tradition of the Bonfire Night?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to assassinate King James I is because Bonfire Night is a way to celebrate.

This happened in 1605 and people have celebrated the night ever since.

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

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

These two and other supporters came up with a plan to blow up the Palace of Westminster.

The plan was to kill the king during the process, because he was in attendance.

However, a conspiracy member got cold feet and sent a letter to the parliament.

The other conspirators ended up being taken into custody here after they learned about the plan.

The Parliament made a 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 of lighting up bonfires.

We were led to the Bonfire Night.

There are a lot of Bonfire Night activities in the UK.

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

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

In the 20th century, the event looked similar to what we are experiencing today.

Which foods are popular during the night?

The bonfire Night events are more than just a celebration with bonfires.

There are a lot of foods associated with the event.

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

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

Some families eat soup and share it with friends or family.

What should you wear to the Bonfire Night events?

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

It is an interesting approach to prepare for the events.

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

A winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go here, and certainly something to keep in mind.

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

Bonfire Night attractions

There are some amazing attractions and events in the UK.

In the countryside, there are usually large bonfires, food and drinks shared with the community and smaller events.

For a lot of people, Bonfire Night has become a community-focused event where everyone has a good 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.

Some traditions are common:

  • The biggest cities in the country get some of the largest fireworks displays. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays.
  • The bonfires are more than just a symbol of the failed complot, they are also used to cook all kinds of food. A lot of people make soup for the people coming by to watch the fireworks. Some even cook potatoes wrapped in a foil, but also marshmallows or sausages as well. There’s also a traditional cake that people eat on the Bonfire Night, named the Parking Cake. The cake has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very tasty.
  • During the Bonfire Night processions, flaming tar barrels are carried on the shoulders. This is a nod to the plans of Guy Fawkes and his team to blow up the Parliament building.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to burn an effigy, a homemade model of a man, very similar to a bird. The effigy is usually made out of paper or straw and stuffed with clothes.
  • Another tradition is called "Penny for the guy". Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to get some money for the fireworks. In some areas you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was about to blow up the Parliament.

Traditions related to the night of bonfires.

During Bonfire Night people use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers.

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 way.

The majority of the time, these Bonfire Night events end with a firework display and large bonfire.

At the end

Every year, Bonfire Night continues as a staple event.

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

Over the years, it is one of those events that have impressed people.

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.

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

North Holmwood Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: North Holmwood, Mole Valley, Surrey, England, RH5 4JW, United Kingdom

Organiser: North Holmwood Bonfire Night