Swansea Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Swansea poster

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in Swansea?

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

Why do people love these celebrations?

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

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

Guy Fawkes tried to assassinate King James I and also tried to blow up the parliament in order to celebrate the failure of the event.

Since 1605 people have celebrated Bonfire Night.

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

Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes were Catholics who believed that an armed struggle would bring Catholicism back to its rightful place.

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

The plan was to kill the king during the process, because he was in attendance.

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

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

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

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

Which eventually lead us to the Bonfire Night.

There are many Bonfire Night activities in the UK.

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

The celebration was renamed at the beginning of the 20th century by firework manufacturers to Bonfire Night or the Fireworks Night because of the focus on having fun.

In the 20th century, the event looked similar to what we are experiencing today.

There are attractions for Bonfire Night.

You are going to find a lot of amazing things to do in the UK.

In the countryside, you usually have large bonfires and local events, food and drinks being shared with the community, but there are also smaller events.

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 people.

You will also get to enjoy some great firework displays with some regions going out of their way to use incredible fireworks 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 just meant to be a symbol of the failed complot. Crowds come by to see the fireworks and a lot of people make soup for them. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in foil, as well as marshmallows and sausages. The parking cake is a traditional dessert that people eat on Bonfire Night. A cake with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle is very tasty.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street, trying to get some money for fireworks, a few days before the Bonfire Night. In some parts of the world, you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was about to blow up the Parliament.
  • It is common for people in the UK to make an effigy of a man and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of straw or paper and stuffed with old clothes.
  • The tradition is to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the Bonfire Night processions. This is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • Some of the biggest cities in the country have firework displays. Even in rural areas you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays.

What should you wear?

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

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

With that being said, the Bonfire Night is a great opportunity for most people to show off their winter wardrobe.

A winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go, and 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 in a costume.

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Night?

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

There are lots of foods associated with this event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas, treacle toffee and the toffee apples are some of the things 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.

Some families share their soups with friends and family members.

Traditions associated with the night.

During Bonfire Night people use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers.

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.

There is a firework display and a large bonfire at most of the time.

Conclusion

Every year, Bonfire Night is a staple event.

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

It is one of those events that has impressed people over the years.

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that it shifted towards being 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!

Swansea Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Swansea, Cymru / Wales, SA1 3BN, United Kingdom

Organiser: Swansea Bonfire Night