Pickwick Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Pickwick poster

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

What should you know about Pickwick's bonfire night?

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

Why do people love these celebrations?

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

What is the Bonfire Night connected to?

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

In 1605 this happened, and people have celebrated the Bonfire Night 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 because he was there.

A member of the conspiracy sent a letter to the parliament, but got cold feet.

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

The Parliament made a statement about the situation and said that the conspirators were caught and punished.

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

Which eventually led us to the Bonfire Night.

In the UK, Bonfire Night activities are enjoyed in a number of locations.

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

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

The event of the 20th century was more and more similar to what we are experiencing today.

What are you going to wear for the event?

Depending on where you live, people tend to dress up in various costumes at Bonfire Night.

This approach is quite interesting, and it is being prepared for the events.

The Bonfire Night is a great chance for people to show off their winter clothes.

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

You don't have to dress up in a costume, but a proper outfit that protects you from the cold is more than welcome.

There are attractions during Bonfire Night.

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

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

For a lot of people, Bonfire Night has become a community event where everyone has a good 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 pyrotechnics for a night to remember.

Here are some traditions that exist:

  • An effigy, a homemade model of a man, is very common in the UK. The effigy is usually made from paper or straw and stuffed with old clothes.
  • Some of the largest firework displays can be found in the biggest cities. You can find bonfires and firework displays all over the country, even in rural areas.
  • 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 watching the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil, as well as marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that people eat on the night of bonfire. The cake has syrup, ginger, oatmeal, and treacle.
  • There's a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders. Again, this is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • The tradition of "Penny for the Guy" is quite interesting. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street and try to get some money for fireworks a few days before the 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 about to blow up the Parliament.

There are some traditions associated with the Bonfire Night.

People parade in costumes and use flaming torches, fireworks, and sparklers at Bonfire Night.

The failure of Guy Fawkes and his band as they tried to blow up the Parliament is a clear nod to that.

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

Which foods are most popular during Bonfire Night?

The Bonfire Night events are more than a celebration with fireworks.

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

Some regions have their own special meals that are prepared around the 5th of November.

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

Bottom line

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a staple event and continues every year

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

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 it became a more community-friendly event over time.

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!

Pickwick Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Upper Pickwick, Corsham, Wiltshire, England, SN13 0DZ, United Kingdom

Organiser: Pickwick Bonfire Night