Southmead Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Southmead poster

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

What should you know about Southmead's bonfire night?

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

What does it mean and why do people love these celebrations so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind the amazing popularity of the Bonfire Night here.

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to assassinate King James I is because of the Bonfire Night celebrations.

This happened in 1605 and people have been celebrating bonfires 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 bring back Catholicism to the rightful place.

They came up with a plan to blow up the Palace.

The king was in attendance, so the plan was to kill him.

A member of the conspiracy sent a letter to the parliament after getting cold feet.

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

The Parliament shared that the conspirators were caught and punished, in a public statement.

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

We eventually went to the Bonfire Night.

Nowadays there are Bonfire Night activities in the UK.

The origins of the event are sinister, but over the years it has become a community focused event.

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

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

What should you wear for the Bonfire Night events?

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

It is quite interesting that this is in preparation for the events.

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

It's important to keep in mind that a winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go here.

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

There are traditions associated with the Bonfire Night

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

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

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

There are attractions for Bonfire Night.

There are many attractions and events in the UK.

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 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 get to enjoy 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:

  • 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 paper or straw, and stuffed with old clothes.
  • The bonfires are more than just a symbol of failed complot, they are also used to cook all kinds of food. Many people heat up soup for the crowds that come by to watch the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes in a foil with marshmallows or sausages. People eat a traditional cake called the parking cake on Bonfire Night. There is syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle in this cake, and it is very tasty.
  • The largest cities in the country get some of the largest firework displays. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country.
  • There is an interesting tradition called "Penny for the Guy". 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 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.
  • It is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the processions. This is a nod to the plans of Guy Fawkes and his team to blow up the Parliament building.

Which foods are popular during Bonfire Night?

There are more than just bonfires and fireworks at the Bonfire Night events.

There are a lot of foods 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 share their soups with friends and other family members.

Summing up

Every year, Bonfire Night continues as a staple event.

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

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

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that it has become 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.

Southmead Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Southmead, Bristol, City of Bristol, West of England, England, BS10 5RE, United Kingdom

Organiser: Southmead Bonfire Night