Shotts Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Shotts poster

Every year in Shotts, on November 5, we come together to celebrate Bonfire Night, all over the county of North Lanarkshire we gather around the bonfire.

What information is important to know about Shotts's Bonfire Night?

The annual event that has been adopted as an annual event over the years is the Bonfire Night.

Why do people love these events?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind its popularity with a quick overview.

Why do we celebrate Bonfire Night?

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

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

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

The plan was to assassinate the king while he was in attendance.

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

The other conspirators were also taken into custody after they learned about the plan.

The Parliament said that the conspirators were caught and punished.

On the 5th of November, the Parliament decided to make it a day to be thankful.

Which eventually led to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities throughout the UK.

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

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

As the 20th century progressed, the event looked more and more similar to what we are experiencing today.

There are traditions associated with the evening of bonfires.

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

This is a clear 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 way.

Most of the time, these Bonfire Night events end with a firework display and large bonfire.

What should you wear at the event?

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

It is an interesting approach in preparation for the events.

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

A winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go here, and certainly something to keep in mind.

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

There are attractions at Bonfire Night

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

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

For a lot of people, Bonfire Night has become 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.

These are some traditions that are common:

  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food and are not meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. A lot of people heat up soup for the people watching the fireworks. Some cooks cook potatoes wrapped in a foil with marshmallows or sausages. There is a parking cake that people eat on Bonfire Night. This cake is made of syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle.
  • There is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders. This is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team made to blow up the Parliament building.
  • In the UK, it is very common for people to make a model of a man, similar to a scarecrow, and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of straw or paper and stuffed with old clothes.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street, trying to get some money to buy fireworks. In some regions you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes tried to do when he was preparing to blow up the Parliament.
  • Some of the largest firework displays are in the biggest cities in the country. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays.

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Nights?

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

There are a lot of things associated with this event.

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

These are eaten throughout the country and some regions have their own special meals prepared around the 5th of November as well.

It is important to note that some families eat soup and share it with friends or family.

At the end

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

It’s a great opportunity for people to reconnect, celebrate and also enjoy some amazing foods.

It has impressed many people over the years.

Even if the origins of the 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 years and years to come!

Shotts Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Shotts, North Lanarkshire, Alba / Scotland, ML7 4AW, United Kingdom

Organiser: Shotts Bonfire Night