Oban Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Oban poster

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

What should you know about Oban's bonfire night?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has become an annual event because of it's incredible festivities.

Why do people love this event so much?

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

Why do we celebrate Bonfire Night?

Guy Fawkes tried to assassinate King James I and also tried to blow up the parliament, which is why Bonfire Night is celebrated in the UK.

The Bonfire Night was celebrated in 1605 and has been celebrated ever since.

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

Robert and Guy Fawkes were Catholics who believed that an armed struggle would bring Catholicism back to its rightful place.

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

The plan was to assassinate the king because he was there.

A conspiracy member sent a letter to the 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 make the 5th of November a day to be thankful for and therefore the tradition of lighting up bonfires.

We went to the Bonfire Night due to that.

There are lots of Bonfire Night activities in the UK today.

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

The celebration was renamed to Fireworks Night at the beginning of the 20th century because it was focused on having fun.

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

Bonfire Night attractions

There are a lot of great attractions and events in the UK.

In the countryside, you usually have large bonfires and local events with food and drinks being shared with the community.

For a lot of people, Bonfire Night is now a community-focused event where everyone has a great time and they enjoy the presence of other like-minded people.

You will get to enjoy some great firework displays, with some regions going out of their way to use incredible pyrotechnics for a night to remember.

There are some traditions:

  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food, even if they are not meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. A lot of people make soup for the crowds that come by to watch the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in foil, as well as marshmallows and sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that people eat on the eve of Bonfire Night. There is syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle in this cake.
  • There is a tradition of carrying flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during Bonfire Night processions. This is in reference to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • Some of the biggest cities in the country get some of the largest displays for firework displays. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays.
  • The tradition is called "Penny for the Guy". Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in a bid to get some money for the 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.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to make a homemade effigy of a man and burn it. The effigy is stuffed with old clothes and made out of straw or paper.

Which foods are most popular during Bonfire Night?

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

There are plenty of foods associated with this event as well.

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

These are eaten all over the country, and some regions have their own special meals prepared for 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 you live, people tend to dress up in various costumes at Bonfire Night.

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

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

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

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.

Traditions related to the Bonfire Night.

People use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers when they parade in costumes during Bonfire Night.

This is a clear nod to the failure of the band that tried to blow up the Parliament as a celebration of independence.

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

At the end

Every year, Bonfire Night continues, and has become a staple event over the years.

It is a great time for people to come together and enjoy some great food.

One of the things that have impressed people over the years is the event.

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that it shifted towards being 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 years and years to come.

Oban Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Oban, Argyll and Bute, Alba / Scotland, PA34 5PZ, United Kingdom

Organiser: Oban Bonfire Night