Why Do We Celebrate Bonfire Night?
It all started on 5th November, 1605...
On the night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled and Guy Fawkes was arrested as he guarded explosives underneath the House of Lords, Londoners took to the streets and lit bonfires to celebrate the safety of King James I. An act was passed that made this day a public day of thanksgiving.
Remember, remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder treason and plot.
We see no reason,
Why gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot.
Even when the ‘Observance of 5th November Act’ was reversed, Gunpowder Treason Day - now known as Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes Night or Fireworks Night - became a popular part of the calendar, and is now a popular autumn event that many families and communities celebrate with a bonfire, fireworks display and popular traditional food.