Street Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Street poster

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

What should you know about Street's bonfire night?

The Bonfire Night has become an annual event over the years.

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

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind the popularity of the Bonfire Night by reading this quick rundown.

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

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

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 return Catholicism to the rightful place.

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

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

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

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

The Parliament made a public statement stating that the conspirators were caught and punished.

Also, the Parliament chose to declare the 5th of November as a day to be thankful for, and hence the tradition to light up bonfires.

It led us to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities in the UK nowadays.

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 because it was focused on having fun.

The event of the 20th century looked very similar to what we are seeing today.

The traditions associated with the night of bonfires.

People in costumes 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 attempted to blow up the Parliament, a celebration of independence, but in a safe way.

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

What should you wear to the Bonfire Night events?

Depending on where they live, people tend to dress up in different costumes during Bonfire Night.

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

The Bonfire Night is a good time for most 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, because you don't have to dress up in a costume.

Bonfire Night attractions

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 among 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 be able to enjoy some great firework displays with some regions going out of their way to use incredible fireworks for a night to remember.

Here are some common traditions:

  • The bonfires are not meant to be just a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. A lot of people make soup for the people who come by to watch the fireworks. Some even cook potatoes wrapped in a foil, but also marshmallows or sausages as well. There is a traditional parking cake that people eat on Bonfire Night. The cake has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle.
  • In the UK, it is very common for people to make a homemade model of a man and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of paper or straw and stuffed with old clothes to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street to ask for money for fireworks a few days before the Bonfire Night. In some regions you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes tried to do when he was about to blow up the Parliament.
  • Some of the biggest cities in the country host firework displays. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and firework displays.
  • During the processions of Bonfire Night, flaming tar barrels are carried on the shoulders. Again, this is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had, in an effort to blow up the Parliament building.

Which foods are popular during Bonfire Night?

The Bonfire Night events are not only a celebration with bonfires and fireworks.

There are lots of things associated with this event.

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

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

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

Conclusion

Over time, Bonfire Night has become a staple event.

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

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

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that it became a more community-friendly event over the years.

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

Street Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Street, Mendip, Somerset, England, United Kingdom

Organiser: Street Bonfire Night