Wantage Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Wantage poster

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in Wantage?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has evolved into an annual event.

What does it mean to people and why do they love these festivities so much?

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

What is the Bonfire Night connected to?

It is a way to celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes as he tried to assassinate King James I, and also the attempt to blow up the parliament.

In 1605 this happened and people have celebrated Bonfire Night ever since.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The parliament shared that the conspirators were caught and punished.

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

We were eventually led to the Bonfire Night.

Throughout the UK, there are Bonfire Night activities.

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

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

As the 20th century progressed, the event looked more and more like what we are seeing today.

What should you wear at the event?

The interesting thing to note about Bonfire Night is that people tend to dress up in various costumes, depending on where they live.

This is in preparation for the events, and it’s quite an interesting approach.

The Bonfire Night is a great opportunity for people to show off their winter clothing.

Something to keep in mind is that a winter knit with a classical touch is normally 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.

Bonfire Night attractions

You are going to find a lot of great 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 people.

You will get 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 traditions that are common:

  • The bonfires are not meant to be a symbol of the failed complot, but they are used to cook all kinds of food. Many people heat up soup for the crowds that come by to see the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil as well as marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that people eat during the Bonfire Night. It has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very tasty.
  • "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in order to get some money to buy 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.
  • There is 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, in an effort to blow up the Parliament building.
  • It is very common for people in the UK to make and burn an effigy of a man. The effigy is usually made out of paper or straw and stuffed with old clothing.
  • Some of the largest firework displays are in the biggest cities in the country. You are bound to find firework displays and bonfires all over the country, even in rural areas.

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Night?

bonfires and fireworks are not the only things that are celebrated at the Bonfire Night events.

There are lots of foods associated with the event.

The jacket potato, parkin, black peas, treacle toffee and the toffee apples are some of the things that are associated with the Bonfire Night.

Some regions have their own special meals that are prepared around the 5th of November as well.

Some families share their soups with friends and other family members.

The Bonfire Night has traditions associated with it.

People use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers on Bonfire Night.

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

Most of the time, there is a large bonfire and a firework display.

At the end

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a staple event, and it continues every year.

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

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

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there's no denying that it's become a more community-friendly event.

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

Wantage Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Wantage, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

Organiser: Wantage Bonfire Night