Willesden Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Willesden poster

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

What should you know about Willesden's bonfire night?

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

Why do people love these events?

Here’s a quick roundup to help you get up to speed with the Bonfire Night, its starting point and the reasons behind its amazing popularity.

What is the Bonfire Night associated with?

The main reason why Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to assassinate King James I is because he wanted to blow up the parliament.

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

At that time, there was a lot of anger against the king, since he was seen as being racist 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 kill the king when he was there.

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

After learning about the plan, the other conspirators were taken into custody here.

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.

Which led to the Bonfire Night.

In the UK, Bonfire Night activities are enjoyed in a number of locations.

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.

As the 20th century progressed, the event looked more and more similar to what we are experiencing today.

There are traditions associated with the night of bonfires.

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

This is a clear nod to the failure of the band that tried to blow up the Parliament as a celebration of independence.

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

What should you wear?

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

This is in preparation for the events, and it is interesting.

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

Something to remember is that a winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go here.

If you want to protect yourself from the cold weather, a proper outfit is more than welcome.

Which foods are popular at Bonfire Nights?

The bonfire Night events are more than just a celebration with fireworks.

There are a lot of foods associated with the event.

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

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

It’s also important to note that some families eat soups too, and they share it with friends or other family members.

There are attractions during the night.

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

In the countryside, you mostly 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 event where everyone has a great time, and they enjoy the presence of other like-minded people.

You will also 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.

Here are some traditions that exist:

  • The tradition is to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during Bonfire Night processions. Again, this is a nod to the plan that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.
  • Some of the largest fireworks displays can be found in the biggest cities. But in general you are bound to find bonfires and incredible firework displays all over the country, even in rural areas.
  • There is a tradition called "Penny for the Guy". Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in a bid to get some money for the fireworks. In some regions, 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 not 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 see the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil with marshmallows or sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake eaten on Bonfire Night. A cake with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle is very delicious.
  • An effigy, a homemade model of a man, is very common in the UK. The effigy is stuffed with old clothes and made out of straw or paper, which is supposed to represent Guy Fawkes.

Summing up

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

It is a great time for people to connect, celebrate and enjoy some amazing 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 became 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.

Willesden Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Willesden, London, Greater London, England, NW10 2BR, United Kingdom

Organiser: Willesden Bonfire Night