South Croydon Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in South Croydon poster

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in South Croydon?

The annual celebration of the Bonfire Night has been adopted as an annual event over the years.

Why do people love these festivities?

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 tradition of the Bonfire Night?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to assassinate King James I is because it is a way to celebrate.

This happened in 1605 and people have been celebrating it ever since.

At that time, there was a lot of anger against the king, since he was seen as being too tolerant of the Catholics.

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

Two supporters came up with a plan to blow up the Palace.

The king was present and the plan was to kill him.

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

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

The Parliament made a public statement regarding the situation and shared 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 of lighting up bonfires.

We headed to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities in the UK today.

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

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

The 20th century event looked similar to what we are experiencing today.

There are attractions at Bonfire Night

There are some 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-focused event where everyone has a great time and they enjoy the presence of other like-minded people

You will also be able 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:

  • Some of the biggest cities in the country have large firework displays. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and amazing firework displays.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to make a homemade model of a man and burn it in effigy. All of the effigy is stuffed within old clothes and made out of straw or paper.
  • The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food, even though they are just meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. Many people heat up soup for the people coming by to watch the fireworks. Some cook potatoes wrapped in a foil and also marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that people eat during Bonfire Night. It has syrup, ginger, oatmeal, and treacle, and it is very delicious.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in the days leading up to the Bonfire Night to ask for money for the fireworks. In some areas, 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.
  • The tradition is to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the Bonfire Night processions. Again, this is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had for blowing up the Parliament building.

What should you wear on Bonfire Night?

Depending on where you live, people tend to dress up in a variety of costumes.

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

The Bonfire Night is a great time for most people to show off their winter attire.

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

You don't have to wear a costume if you have a proper outfit that protects you from the cold weather.

Which foods are popular during celebrations?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are not the only thing going on.

There are many things associated with this event.

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

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

It is important to note that some families share their soups with friends and family members.

Traditions associated with the night of the bonfire.

People wear costumes and use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers during Bonfire Night.

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

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

At the end

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

It is a great time for people to get together and enjoy some great foods.

Over the years, it has been one of those events that people have been impressed with.

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 aspects of Bonfire Night are happiness and a good time, and we can expect this event to continue for many years to come.

South Croydon Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: South Croydon, Blunt Road, London Borough of Croydon, London, Greater London, England, CR2 7PA, United Kingdom

Organiser: South Croydon Bonfire Night