The 6 Best Places to Celebrate Bonfire Night in England

If you’re looking for a spectacular event that isn’t focused around fireworks, then Battle in East Sussex is a great choice for Bonfire Night. Huge bonfire celebrations have been held here for over 300 years with 30 local bonfire societies teaming up to take part in an impressive torchlight procession through the town. Participants dress up in elaborate costumes, portraying everything from pirates and clowns to ancient Aztecs and Saxons. The best bit? Anyone can join in!

One of the most peculiar (and dangerous!) Bonfire Night celebrations is held in the small town of Ottery St. Mary every year. The Tar Barrels Festival is based on a tradition older than the Gunpowder Plot, involving men, women and children of all ages running through the town carrying blazing barrels of tar on their heads. There’s also a huge bonfire, fairground attractions and a fireworks display for those who would rather not risk setting themselves alight.

East Sussex seems to hold the crown for the most interesting Bonfire Night celebrations. Lewes always seems to get the most press coverage thanks to the town’s controversial parades that attract visitors from far and wide. Six local bonfire societies club together to light huge bonfires on the hills that surround the town and the firework displays are always impressive. The main reason to visit, however, is the infamous parade through the town. Effigies of political figures and prominent newsworthy moments from the past 12 months are carried through the town along with 17 large burning crosses that give a distinctly pagan feeling to the evening.

The largest firework display in the area, Midsummer Common’s Bonfire Night celebrations attract hordes of visitors each year. One of the only events on this list to be free and not require tickets, this is always a popular option for anyone prepared to travel for their Bonfire Night activities. The bonfire is huge, the fireworks impressive and there’s plenty of funfair rides and stalls to explore.

If you’re based in the north of England and are on the lookout for something a little more pagan based, head to Skinningrove for their iconic Bonfire Night celebrations. The locals spend the weeks leading up to the 5th November constructing a large structure that references the area’s heritage, such as a fishing boat or a castle. On Bonfire Night, the structure is set alight and fireworks are exploded overhead.
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