Bonfire Night Celebrations

(1) In the UK, Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes is a celebration of an important historical event. Fireworks fill night skies with colour.

(2) On November 5th, people remember the plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament by celebrating ‘Bonfire Night’. All over Britain there are firework displays and bonfires with models of Guy Fawkes that people burn on the fire. Some people have a small bonfire in their garden on November 5th. In main towns and cities there are big bonfires and firework displays.

(3) Before Bonfire Night, people make a dummy of Guy Fawkes, which is called "the Guy”. There is an old tradition of walking in the streets, carrying "the Guy" and asking passersbys for "a penny for the Guy." Some children still do this. The kids buy fireworks for the evening with the money they collect. On the night itself, people put “The Guy” on top of the bonfire and set off fireworks.

(4) The size of the celebrations and the bonfires change from one town to another. The South-Eastern town of Lewes in England is famous for its Bonfire Night parties. They are attended by thousands of people each year. Bonfire Night is also celebrated outside Britain. Today, November 5th bonfires still burn brightly in far out places like New Zealand and Newfoundland in Canada.