St Thomas Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in St Thomas poster

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

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

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

What is it that makes people love these festivities so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind its popularity with this quick rundown.

What is the Bonfire Night connected to?

Guy Fawkes tried to assassinate King James I and also tried to blow up the parliament, which is why Bonfire Night is celebrated in the UK.

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

At that time, there was a lot of anger against the king, since he was seen as being anti-Catholic.

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

These two and other supporters came up with a plan to blow up the Palace of Westminster.

The plan was to assassinate the king during the process.

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

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

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

The Parliament decided to light up bonfires on the 5th of November in honor of being thankful.

We eventually headed to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities in the UK nowadays.

Despite the fact that its origins are sinister, Bonfire Night has become a community focused event over the years.

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

The event of the 20th century looked similar to what we are currently experiencing.

Traditions associated with the night of bonfires

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

It is obvious that this is a nod to the failed attempt by Guy Fawkes and his band to blow up the Parliament as a celebration of independence.

Most of the time, these events end with a firework display and a big bonfire.

Which foods are most popular during Bonfire Night celebrations?

The celebration with bonfires and fireworks is not the only thing happening.

There are a lot of things associated with this event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas and treacle toffee are all associated with the Bonfire Night.

These are eaten all over 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.

What should you wear to the event?

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

This approach is in preparation for the events.

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

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

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

There are attractions for Bonfire Night.

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

In the countryside, you usually 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 event where everyone has a great time and they enjoy the presence of other people.

You will 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.

Here are some traditions that exist:

  • It’s very common for many people in the UK to burn an effigy, a homemade model of a man, very similar to a scarecrow. The effigy is usually made out of straw or paper, stuffed with old clothes, and is meant to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • The bonfires aren't just meant to be a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook a lot of food. Crowds come by to see the fireworks and a lot of people make soup for them. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in foil with marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake eaten on the Bonfire Night. The cake is made of 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 biggest 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.
  • The tradition of "Penny for the Guy" is very interesting. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in the days leading up to Bonfire Night to ask for money to buy fireworks. Kids blackened their faces in some regions, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was preparing to blow up the Parliament.

Conclusion

Every year, Bonfire Night becomes a staple event.

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

Over the years, it's one of those events that have impressed people.

Even if the origins of the event are a bit darker, there is no denying that the event has evolved into a more community-friendly event.

The most important parts of Bonfire Night are happiness and good time, and we can expect this event to continue for many years to come.

St Thomas Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: St Thomas, Exeter, Devon, England, EX4 1AU, United Kingdom

Organiser: St Thomas Bonfire Night