Northumberland Heath Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Northumberland Heath poster

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in Northumberland Heath?

Over the years the Bonfire Night has been an annual event.

What does it mean and why do people love these celebrations so much?

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

What is a common association with Bonfire Night?

It is 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 in the UK.

This happened in 1605 and has been celebrated ever since.

What happened at that time is that there was a lot of anger against the king, since many considered he was intolerant against the Catholics.

Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes were Catholics who believed in an armed struggle to bring Catholicism back to it's rightful place.

A group of people came up with a plan to blow up the palace.

The king was in attendance and the plan was to assassinate him.

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

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

The Parliament made a public statement about the situation and shared that the conspirators were caught.

The Parliament decided that the 5th of November was a day to be thankful for and therefore the tradition to light up bonfires.

Which, eventually, led us to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities all over the UK.

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

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

The event of the 20th century looked more and more like what we are experiencing today.

There are attractions at Bonfire Night.

There are a lot of amazing attractions in the UK.

Food and drinks are shared with the community at smaller events that take place in countryside regions.

It's become a community-focused event for a lot of people, 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.

Here are some common traditions:

  • Some of the largest fireworks displays can be found in the biggest cities. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to make an effigy of a man and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of straw or paper, stuffed with old clothes, and meant to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is a tradition. Kids used to take the homemade Guy effigies on the street and try to get some money for the fireworks. In some parts of the country you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was preparing to blow up the Parliament.
  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food and are not just a symbol of the failed complot. A lot of people heat up soup for the people who come by to watch the fireworks. Some cook potatoes wrapped in a foil and also marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that people eat on Bonfire Night. The cake has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle.
  • It 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.

Traditions associated with the night of the bonfire.

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 manner.

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

Which foods are popular during the night?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are not the only things happening.

There are a lot of foods associated with this event.

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

Some regions have their own special meals prepared around the 5th of November, which is when these are eaten throughout the country.

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

What should you wear at the event?

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

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

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

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

You don't have to wear a costume if you have a proper outfit that protects you from the cold weather.

Conclusion

Over time, Bonfire Night has become a staple event.

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

Over the years, it has been one of those events that people have been impressed with.

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

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

Northumberland Heath Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Northumberland Heath, London Borough of Bexley, London, Greater London, England, DA8 3EP, United Kingdom

Organiser: Northumberland Heath Bonfire Night