Oldbury Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Oldbury poster

Every year in Oldbury, on November 5, we come together to celebrate Bonfire Night, all over the county of West Midlands we gather around the bonfire.

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in Oldbury?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has become an annual event, one of the incredible festivities and celebrations.

Why do people enjoy these festivities so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind its popularity with this quick rundown.

What is the tradition of the Bonfire Night?

It is a way to celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes as he tried to assassinate King James I, and also to blow up the parliament.

This happened in 1605, and people have been celebrating the Bonfire Night 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 in an armed struggle to restore Catholicism to its rightful place.

The people came up with a plan to blow up the Palace.

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

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

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

The Parliament shared that the conspirators had been caught and punished.

The Parliament decided to light bonfires on the 5th of November to be thankful for.

Which 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 the fact that it is sinister in nature.

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 very similar to what we are seeing today.

Bonfire Night attractions

There are lots of amazing attractions and events in the UK.

In the countryside, you usually have large bonfires and local events, food and drinks being shared with the community, but there are also smaller events.

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 be able to enjoy some great firework displays with some regions going out of their way to use incredible fireworks for a night to remember.

Some traditions are common:

  • There are firework displays all over the country with the biggest cities getting some of the largest displays. Even in rural areas, you will find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to burn a homemade model of a man. This effigy is usually made out of paper or straw and stuffed with old clothes.
  • The bonfires are not just a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. A lot of people heat up soup for the crowds to watch the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil and also marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake eaten on the Bonfire Night. It has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very delicious.
  • It is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders. This is a reference to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to ask for money for fireworks a few days before Bonfire Night. Kids blackened their faces in some parts of the country, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was about to blow up the Parliament.

Traditions associated with the night of bonfires

People wear costumes and use fireworks, flaming torches, 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 way.

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

What are you going to wear for the events?

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

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 clothing.

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

A proper outfit that protects you against the cold weather is more than welcome.

Which foods are popular during celebrations?

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

There are many foods associated with this event.

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

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

Some families eat soups and share them with friends or family members.

In the end

Every year, Bonfire Night is a staple event.

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

People have been impressed by it over the years.

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

We can expect this event to continue for years and years to come because of the importance of happiness and a good time.

Oldbury Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Oldbury, Sandwell, West Midlands Combined Authority, England, B69 2AJ, United Kingdom

Organiser: Oldbury Bonfire Night