Selsey Bonfire Night 2022

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in Selsey?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has been adopted as an annual event.

Why do people love the festivities so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind the amazing popularity of the Bonfire Night in a few minutes.

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

Guy Fawkes tried to assassinate King James I and also tried to blow up the parliament in order to celebrate the failure of his attempt.

Since 1605 people have been celebrating the Bonfire Night.

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

Two people came up with a plan to blow up the Palace of Westminster.

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

A conspiracy member sent a letter to the parliament, but he was cold feet.

The conspirators who were involved in the plan were taken into custody here after they learned about it.

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

The Parliament decided that the 5th of November would be a day to be thankful for.

It eventually led us to the Bonfire Night.

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

Despite the fact that the origins of the event are sinister, it has become a community event over the years.

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

As the 20th century progressed, the event looked a lot like what we are seeing today.

What should you wear for the Bonfire Night events?

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

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

Most people like to show off their winter clothes during the Bonfire Night.

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

A proper outfit that protects you against the cold weather is more than welcome, even if you don't have to wear a costume.

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Nights?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are only part of the celebration.

There are many things associated with this event.

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

Some regions have their own special meals prepared around the 5th of November as well.

It’s also important to note that some families eat soups too, and they share it with friends or other family members.

There are traditions associated with the night of bonfires.

People wear 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, a celebration of independence, is a clear nod to this.

The majority of the time, there is a firework display followed by a large bonfire.

There are attractions during Bonfire Night.

The UK has a lot of amazing attractions and events.

In the countryside, you mostly have large bonfires and local events, food and drinks being shared by 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 see 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 that are common:

• The biggest cities in the country have the largest firework displays. You are bound to find bonfires and firework displays all over the country.
• The tradition is to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the processions. This is a nod to the plan that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
• The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food, even though they are not meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. Many people heat up soup for the crowds that come by to watch the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil, and also marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that is eaten on the Bonfire Night. There is syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle in this cake, and it is very delicious.
• There is a tradition called "Penny for the Guy". Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to ask for money for fireworks a few days before Bonfire Night. In some regions you can even find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes tried to do when he was preparing to blow up the Parliament.
• It is very common for people in the UK to burn an effigy, a homemade model of a man, similar to a scarecrow. This effigy is stuffed with old clothes and made out of straw or paper, it is supposed to represent Guy Fawkes.

Summing up

Every year, Bonfire Night continues to become a staple event.

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

Over the years, it has impressed people and is one of those events.

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.

Selsey Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Selsey, Chichester, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom

Organiser: Selsey Bonfire Night