With Bonfire Night fast approaching, many places across the country are preparing for unusual local traditions. With venues such as palaces, castles and Italian gardens, and an array of bizarre traditions featuring Vikings, pontoons and toasty feet, Her Campus have picked out the most special places to spend your Bonfire Night this year…
- Lewes Bonfire Celebrations
Date: Wednesday 5th November 2014.
Location: Lewes, a town in East Sussex.
Expect: Big crowds with over 80,000 spectators. Multiple bonfires, processions and fireworks displays by 6 societies and a late night.
Top Tip: With so much on offer, do your research beforehand and decide which bonfire you want to attend.
2. Alexandra Palace, London
Date: Saturday 1st November 2014.
Location: Alexandra ‘the People’s Palace’, North London, 20 minutes from Piccadilly Circus.
Expect: After an afternoon of tasting the diverse range of German beers on offer at the U.K’s largest Bier festival in the palace’s great hall and a clumsy skate around the palace ice rink, gaze at the fireworks with an amazing panoramic view of the city as a backdrop.
Top Tip: Book tickets online and in advance, as they will not be available on the door.
3. Vikings and Fireworks Spectacular
Date: Wednesday 5th November 2014.
Location: Tutbury Castle, in Staffordshire, near Derby.
Expect: Viking combat fighting, a Viking funeral in the moonlight followed by the 5th best firework display in the U.K. as voted by the Guardian. Set in the grounds of a prehistoric castle dating to the Stone Age.
Top Tip: The same event will also be taking place the weekend prior to the 5th, so why not make it a weekend getaway!
4. Floating Fireworks, Italian Style
Date: Friday 7th November 2014.
Location: Trentham Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent, a 1 hour drive north of Birmingham.
Expect: Beautiful Italian gardens, with food delights from Pieminister, Frankie and Benny’s or the Terrazzo del Giardino and fireworks set off from pontoons over the estate’s mile long lake accompanied by a musical score.
Top Tip: This is the perfect evening for anyone who is having summer holiday blues, providing you with a little reminder of Italia.
5. Sponsored Fire walk
Date: Wednesday 5th November 2014.
Location: Glasgow City Centre, Scotland.
Expect: To have your fears tested all in aid of a good cause. Raising money for the Scottish Association for Mental Health, people can take part in a 20 feet bare foot walk across a bed of embers burning at over 665 °C.
Top Tip: Don’t be put off by the registry fee and the sponsorship money could easily be collected from nagging your friends and family.
6. Ottery St. Mary, Tar Barrels
Date: Wednesday 5th November 2014.
Location: Ottery St. Mary, 10 miles from Exeter.
Expect: A fun evening dodging flaming tar barrels as they are carried by the local townsmen and women, accompanied by a not-to-be-missed funfair and bonfire.
Top Tip: Numerous societies organise ticketed coach travel to and from the FREE event.
A final reminder on this whirlwind tour of some of the more unusual events available in the U.K. that fun can be had on your own doorstep. Wrap up, invest in some sparklers and build your own mini-bonfire in your garden (although check regulations before doing so.) But most importantly don’t forget the hot chocolate.
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