Wellington Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Wellington poster

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in Wellington?

Over the years, the Bonfire Night has been adopted as an annual event.

Why do people love these celebrations so much, and what does it mean?

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

What is a common association with Bonfire Night?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to assassinate King James I is because Bonfire Night is a way to celebrate.

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

At that time, there was a lot of anger against the king, since many thought he was against the Catholics.

Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes were both Catholics who believed in an armed struggle to bring Catholicism back to it's rightful place.

The two people 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 got cold feet and sent a letter to the parliament.

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

The Parliament shared that the conspirators were caught and punished, in a public statement.

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

We were eventually led to the Bonfire Night.

There are Bonfire Night activities in the UK.

Bonfire Night has become a community focused event despite the fact that its origins are sinister.

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

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

What are you going to wear to the events?

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

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

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

It's important to keep in mind 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 protects you against the cold weather is more than welcome.

Bonfire Night attractions

There are some amazing attractions 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 has become 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.

Some traditions are common:

  • 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. A lot of people heat up soup for the crowds that come by to watch the fireworks. Some cooks cook potatoes wrapped in a foil and also marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake eaten on Bonfire Night. The cake is made of syrup, ginger, oatmeal, and treacle.
  • The tradition is to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the Bonfire Night processions. Again, this is a nod to the plan that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • There are firework displays throughout the country, with the biggest cities getting some of the largest displays. Even in rural areas you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays.
  • Many people in the UK burn an effigy, a model of a man, very similar to a scarecrow. The effigy is stuffed with old clothes and made out of straw or paper.
  • The "Penny for the Guy" is an interesting tradition. Kids used to take the homemade Guy effigies on the street and try to get some money for the fireworks. In some regions you can even find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes tried to do when he was preparing to blow up the Parliament.

Which foods are most popular during Bonfire Night celebrations?

The events of the Bonfire Night are more than just a celebration with bonfires.

There are plenty of foods associated with this event as well.

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

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

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

Traditions associated with the night of the bonfire.

People parade in costumes and use flaming torches, fireworks, and sparklers at Bonfire Night.

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

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

In the end

Every year, Bonfire Night continues, and has become a staple event over the years.

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

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

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there’s no denying that over the years Bonfire Night 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 to continue for years and years to come.

Wellington Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Wellington Woods, Aspatria, Allerdale, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom

Organiser: Wellington Bonfire Night