by The year is coming to a close, and Bonfire Night is just around the corner. If you’re looking for Bonfire Night event ideas, we’re here to help you out.
In this guide, we’ll cover…
- Ways to organise fireworks
- How to build a bonfire
- What food to cook
- Which drinks to prepare
- Different kinds of decorations
- Family-friendly event ideas
What is Guy Fawkes Night?
On November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes and friends had planned on blowing up the House of Lords. Guy was guarding the explosives when he was apprehended by law enforcement.
The event became known as the Gunpowder Plot. Ever since then, Brits light bonfires around town on November 5 to celebrate how the plot was foiled. Later, fireworks were also thrown into the picture, which is why the occasion is sometimes called Firework Night.
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Bonfire Night party ideas
Most social occasions can be turned into Bonfire Night events. Just make sure that you incorporate some of these Bonfire Night party ideas to give it the right spin.
The ideas below will work wonders for:
- Community events
- Cooking and cocktail classes
- Dinner parties
- Parties
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1. Fireworks
Since fireworks are a staple of Guy Fawkes Night, you should consider adding it as the “entertainment” segment of your event. Although epic fireworks won’t be cheap, they’ll definitely make your event a memorable one. You can choose to run it yourself or hire a company.
Do it yourself
Fireworks are divided into four categories, of which only the fourth one is lethal. If you stick to the first three, it’s safe to run the display yourself and save some of the money from your event budget.
Tip: Use this checklist to make sure you’ve taken all the necessary safety precautions.
Hire a company
If you absolutely must have category four fireworks or just don’t want the hassle of running the display yourself, you can hire a professional fireworks company to do the job for you.
Tip: Research fireworks companies and ask for as many quotes as possible to get a good deal.
2. Bonfire
Another must-have on Bonfire Night is…a bonfire. As with the fireworks above, you should consider adding it to your event if you have the space for it. A community event held in a park should easily be able to fit it in. Again, you can build it yourself or hire professionals to do it.
Do it yourself
If you have access to a lot of green waste, you already have enough materials to build your own bonfire. You could even ask the local community to contribute to the bonfire.
Tip: Read up on bonfire safety procedures to make sure you don’t light the town on fire.
Hire a company
A professional company will know exactly which materials to use and how to make sure all safety precautions are taken. They’ll also free up your time for hosting the event.
Tip: You can find professional bonfire builders online, just remember to compare quotes.
3. Decorations
Since the theme of the night has to do with lights, the decorations for your Bonfire event should reflect that. Get some fairy lights or LED light chains and hang them around the venue to create the right atmosphere. Supplement with some Guy Fawkes masks or put glowsticks inside balloons before you blow them up to create a really cool and inexpensive decoration.
Tip: You can find several stores selling party supplies with a Guy Fawkes Night theme.
4. Food
When it comes to the food you’ll serve at your Bonfire Night event, think traditional British cuisine. Use the dishes listed below for a Guy Fawkes dinner event. You could also organise a cooking class to teach attendees how to make them. Or why not a good ol’ cook-off?
Here are some of the most common dishes served across the UK:
- Bangers and mash
- Banoffee pie
- Catherine wheel toad-in-the-hole
- Chocolate fudge
- Orchard fruit and cider tatin
- Pork casserole
- Rarebit toasties
- Sausage casserole
- S’mores dip
- Toffee apples
Tip: Find all the recipes for the above dishes (and more) on BBC Good Food.
5. Drinks
Since November 5 tends to be quite chilly, it’s a good idea to prepare some hot drinks to help you attendees stay warm. Feel free to add a bit of firewater in the mix to spice things up. As with the food, you can use these drinks for a tasting event or a cocktail-making class.
Here are some drinks specifically made for Guy Fawkes Night:
- Appleberry mulled wine
- Hot apple pie punch
- Hot spiced buttered rum
- Mulled cider
- Salted caramel rum hot chocolate
- Spiced apple snaps fizz
- Toffee apple sour cocktail
- Triple choc hot chocolate
Tip: Find all the recipes for the above drinks (and more) on BBC Good Food.
6. Crafts
Looking for Bonfire Night ideas for kids or just want to have a quiet night in? How about working on some beautiful Guy Fawkes-themed decorations or baked goods.
Here are just some of the many options you have:
- Bonfire cupcakes
- Bonfire painting
- Confetti popper rockets
- Firework cookies
- Fireworks in a jar
- Toffee apple sticks
- Treacle toffee
- Wet chalk fireworks
Tip: Learn how to do each of these Bonfire Night activity ideas with your kids on This Mummy Loves.
7. Sustainability
Bonfire Night is fun, but it doesn’t do the environment any favours. So to make your Guy Fawkes Night as sustainable as possible and try to consider the local nature and wildlife.
Consider some of these green ideas for your event:
- Avoid sky lanterns
- Use biodegradable tableware
- Use eco-friendly fireworks
- Make sure you don’t burn any hogs
- Use natural wood for your bonfire
- Clean up after the event
Ready to get explosive?
Now you should have enough explosive Bonfire Night event ideas to make this November 5 a memorable one.
If there are any ideas that we’ve missed, make sure you share them with us in the comments section below.
Happy Bonfire Night!