Thornbury Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Thornbury poster

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

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

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has become an annual event because of it's incredible festivities.

Why do people love these events?

Here are a few things you can do to get up to speed with the Bonfire Night.

What is the tradition of the Bonfire Night?

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

In 1605 this happened, and people have been celebrating the night 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 its rightful place.

A group of people came up with a plan to blow up the Palace.

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

The member of the conspiracy sent a letter to the parliament.

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

The fact that the conspirators were caught and punished was shared by the Parliament.

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

Which lead us to the Bonfire Night.

Throughout the UK, there are Bonfire Night activities.

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

The celebration was renamed to Fireworks Night at the beginning of the 20th century due to the focus being on having fun.

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

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Night?

The events of bonfires and fireworks are not the only things happening.

There are many different foods associated with this event.

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

Some regions have their own special meals that are prepared around the 5th of November, and eaten throughout the country.

Some families eat soup and share it with friends or family.

Traditions related to the night of bonfires.

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

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

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

What should you wear to the Bonfire Night events?

People tend to dress up in different costumes depending on where they live.

This is in preparation for the events.

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

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

You don’t have to dress up in a costume, but a proper outfit that helps you protect yourself against the cold weather is more than welcome.

There are attractions at Bonfire Night.

The UK has many amazing attractions and events.

In the countryside, there are usually large bonfires and local events with food and drinks being shared with 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 like minded people.

You will get to enjoy some great firework displays, with some regions going out of their way to use incredible firework displays for a night to remember.

Here are some traditions that exist:

  • The biggest cities in the country get some of the largest fireworks displays. Even in rural areas, you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country.
  • The tradition is called "Penny for the Guy" 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 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.
  • There is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during Bonfire Night processions. Again, this is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had in order to blow up the Parliament building.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to make a homemade effigy of a man and burn it. This effigy is made out of straw or paper and stuffed with old clothes, it is supposed to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • The bonfires are supposed to be 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 coming by to watch the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil with marshmallows or sausages as well. The parking cake is a traditional cake people eat on the night of the bonfire. It has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very delicious.

In the end

A staple event over the years, Bonfire Night continues every year.

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

Over the years, it has impressed many people.

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

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

Thornbury Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, West of England, England, United Kingdom

Organiser: Thornbury Bonfire Night