Westhill Bonfire Night 2022

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

What should you know about the Bonfire Night in Westhill?

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

What does it mean and why do people love these celebrations so much?

You can get up to speed with the reasons behind the amazing popularity of the Bonfire Night with a quick list.

What is the tradition of the Bonfire Night?

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

The Bonfire Night was celebrated in 1605 and has been ever since.

There was a lot of anger against the king since he was seen as being 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 supporters came up with a plan to blow up the Palace of Westminster.

The plan was to kill the king while he was there.

A conspiracy member sent a letter to the parliament, but ended up getting cold feet.

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

The Parliament made a public statement regarding the situation and shared that the conspirators were caught and punished.

The Parliament decided to make the 5th of November a day to be thankful for and hence the tradition to light bonfires.

We headed to the Bonfire Night.

There are lots of Bonfire Night activities in the UK.

Despite the fact that its origins are sinister, the event has become a community focused event over the years.

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.

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

Which foods are common during Bonfire Night celebrations?

The Bonfire Night celebrations are more than just a celebration with bonfires and fireworks.

There are lots of foods associated with the event.

In fact, things like the jacket potato, parkin, black peas, treacle toffee or the toffee apples are widely associated with the Bonfire Night.

These are eaten all over the country, and some regions have their own special meals prepared for the 5th of November.

Some families eat soups too and share them with friends or family members.

What should you wear?

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

In preparation for the events, this is an interesting approach.

The Bonfire Night is a great 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 something to keep in mind.

A proper outfit that protects you from the cold weather is more than welcome, even if you don't have to dress up.

There are attractions for Bonfire Night.

You're going to find a lot of amazing attractions and events in the UK.

In the countryside, you usually have large bonfires and local events with food and drinks shared with the community.

It's become a community-focused event for a lot of people because they enjoy the presence of other like-minded people.

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

Some traditions are common:

• Some of the largest firework displays can be found in the biggest cities. Even in rural areas, you will 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 in order to get some money for the fireworks. In some areas you can find kids that blackened their faces, a testament to what Guy Fawkes did when he was about to blow up the Parliament.
• The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food, which is why they are not just a symbol of the failed complot. A lot of people make soup for the crowds that come by to watch the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil and also marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that people eat during Bonfire Night. It has syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle, and it is very tasty.
• It is very common for people in the UK to make a homemade model of a man and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of straw or paper and stuffed into old clothes.
• During the Bonfire Night processions, flaming tar barrels on the shoulders are a tradition. Again, this is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had for blowing up the Parliament building.

Traditions are associated with the night of bonfires.

People wear costumes and use flaming torches, fireworks, and sparklers 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 as a celebration of independence.

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

At the end

Over the years, Bonfire Night has become a staple event.

It is a great time for people to come together and enjoy some amazing foods.

Over the years, it's 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 shifted towards being a more community-friendly event over the years.

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.

Westhill Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Westhill, Aberdeenshire, Alba / Scotland, United Kingdom

Organiser: Westhill Bonfire Night