Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes night, is a\u00a0much-loved date on the Sussex events calendar, with many towns and villages celebrating\u00a0it between September and November.<\/p>\n
The Sussex Bonfires have a 300-year-old tradition of remembering\u00a0the day Guy Fawkes and his band of conspirators were foiled in their plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Events in Sussex take on their own meanings\u00a0as they also commemorate the\u00a017 Protestant martyrs burned at the stake in Lewes, East Sussex, during the reign of Mary I\u00a0(Bloody Mary) in the 1500s. Hastings Bonfire falls on Hastings Week which celebrates the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.<\/p>\n
Each town has their own Bonfire Society who raise funds throughout the year to ensure the events can go ahead. At each event, the socieities join together to march their way through the\u00a0streets in a flaming torchlit procession, before lighting the giant bonfire, burning the secret effigy, and igniting the fireworks for a spectacular finale.<\/p>\n
Important Information
\nBonfire events throughout Sussex are extremely busy with large crowds. They are also noisy with regular large bangs heard from firecrackers and pyrotechnics.\u00a0You must plan your journey<\/a><\/span><\/span> in advance as there will be road closures and\u00a0limited parking, as well as planned train cancellations\u00a0in the interest of public safety.
\nEach event is entirely dependent on donations, so please bring spare change with you.<\/p>\n