Witham Bonfire Night 2022
Every year in Witham, on November 5, we come together to celebrate Bonfire Night, with fireworks lighting up the skies across the county of Essex.
What information is important to know about Witham's Bonfire Night?
Over the years, the Bonfire Night has become an annual event because of it's incredible festivities.
Why do people like these celebrations so much?
You can get up to speed with the reasons behind the amazing popularity of the Bonfire Night in a few easy steps.
Why do we celebrate Bonfire Night?
It is a way to celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes as he tried to assassinate King James I and also to blow up the parliament.
This happened in 1605 and people have celebrated it ever since.
There was a lot of anger against the king, due to the fact that he was against the Catholics.
Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes were Catholics who believed that only an armed struggle would restore Catholicism to its rightful place.
Two people 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 got cold feet and sent a letter to the parliament.
After they learned about the plan, the other conspirators were taken into custody here.
The Parliament made a public statement about the situation and shared that the conspirators were caught.
The Parliament decided to make the 5th of November a day to be thankful for.
Which led us to the Bonfire Night.
There are a lot of Bonfire Night activities in the UK today.
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 by firework manufacturers to Bonfire Night or the Fireworks Night because the focus was on having fun.
As the 20th century progressed, the event looked more and more like what we are seeing today.
Which foods are popular during the night?
The celebration with bonfires and fireworks is not the only thing going on.
There are a lot of foods associated with the event.
The jacket potato, parkin, black peas, treacle toffee and the toffee apples are some of the things associated with the Bonfire Night.
Some regions have their own special meals that they prepare around the 5th of November as well.
Some families share their soups with friends and family members.
What should you wear?
Depending on where they live, people tend to dress up in different costumes for Bonfire Night.
This approach is in preparation for the events.
The Bonfire Night is a great opportunity for people to show off their winter clothing.
Something to remember is that a winter knit with a classical touch is usually the right way to go here.
A proper outfit that protects you against the cold weather is more than welcome and you don't have to dress up in a costume.
There are traditions associated with Bonfire Night.
During Bonfire Night, people parade in costumes and use flaming torches, fireworks, and sparklers.
It is clear that this is a 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 manner.
Most of the time, there is a firework display and a large bonfire during Bonfire Night.
There are attractions for Bonfire Night.
There are many amazing attractions in the UK.
In the countryside, there are usually large bonfires, food and drinks shared with the community and smaller events.
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 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 biggest cities in the country get some of the largest firework displays. Even in rural areas, you can find bonfires and incredible firework displays.
- The bonfires are used to cook all kinds of food and are not just a symbol of the failed complot. Many people heat up soup for the crowds coming by to watch the fireworks. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in foil and also marshmallows or sausages. People eat the parking cake on 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 in effigy. The effigy is stuffed with old clothes and made out of straw or paper, which is supposed to represent Guy Fawkes.
- One interesting tradition is called "Penny for the Guy". Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street in the days leading up to Bonfire Night to ask for money for 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.
- It is a tradition to carry flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the processions. Again, this is a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had, to blow up the Parliament building.
Conclusion
Every year, Bonfire Night continues and has become a staple event.
It is a great time for people to celebrate and enjoy some amazing food.
Over the years, it has been one of those events that people have been impressed with.
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.
The most important parts of Bonfire Night are happiness and a good time, and we can expect this event to go on for many years to come.
Witham Bonfire Night Event
Date: 5th November 2022
Start Time: 6pm
Finish Time: 11pm
Address: Witham, Braintree, Essex, England, United Kingdom
Organiser: Witham Bonfire Night
