Withywood Bonfire Night 2022

Bonfire Night in Withywood poster

Every year in Withywood, on November 5, we come together to celebrate Bonfire Night, all over the county of Bristol we gather around the bonfire.

What should you know about Withywood's bonfire night?

Every year, the Bonfire Night has been adopted as an annual event.

So why do people 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.

Why do we celebrate Bonfire Night?

Guy Fawkes tried to assassinate King James I and also tried to blow up the parliament in order to celebrate the failure of his plan.

Since 1605 people have celebrated Bonfire Night.

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

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

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

The king was in attendance and the plan was to kill him.

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

The other conspirators were taken into custody once they learned of the plan.

The Parliament said 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 today.

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

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

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

Traditions related to the night of bonfires.

During Bonfire Night people use flaming torches, fireworks and sparklers.

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

Most of the time, these events end with a firework display and a big bonfire.

What should you wear to the Bonfire Night events?

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

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

Most people like to show off their winter clothes on Bonfire Night.

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 from the cold weather is more than welcome.

Which foods are common during Bonfire Night celebrations?

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

There are many different foods associated with this 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 even have their own special meals prepared around the 5th of November.

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

There are attractions at Bonfire Night.

There are a lot of great 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 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 pyrotechnics for a night to remember.

Here are some traditions:

  • The bonfires are meant to be a symbol of the failed complot, but they are also used to cook all kinds of food. Crowds come by to see the fireworks and a lot of people cook soup for them. Some people cook potatoes wrapped in a foil and also marshmallows and sausages. The parking cake is a traditional cake that people eat on Bonfire Night. The cake is made with syrup, ginger, oatmeal and treacle.
  • There is a tradition called "Penny for the guy". Kids used to take homemade Guy effigies on the street, trying to get some money for fireworks, a few days before Bonfire Night. 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.
  • In the UK, it is very common for people to make a model of a man, similar to a scarecrow, and burn it. The effigy is usually made out of paper or straw, stuffed with old clothes, and meant to represent Guy Fawkes.
  • There are firework displays all over the country, with the biggest cities getting some of the biggest displays. Even in rural areas you are bound to find bonfires and firework displays.
  • There is a tradition of carrying flaming tar barrels on the shoulders during the Bonfire Night processions. This is also a nod to the plans that Guy Fawkes and his team had to blow up the Parliament building.

At the end

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

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

People have been impressed by it over the years.

Even if the origins of this event are a bit darker, there is no denying that over the years it has evolved into 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 many years to come.

Withywood Bonfire Night Event

Date: 5th November 2022

Start Time: 6pm

Finish Time: 11pm

Address: Withywood, Bristol, City of Bristol, West of England, England, BS13 9HZ, United Kingdom

Organiser: Withywood Bonfire Night