Guy Fawkes Day

We headed up to Lewes after work/school to celebrate with the local townfolk for Guy Fawkes Day, or Bonfire Night - 5 November 2009.

Brief history:

Guy Fawkes and Robert Catesby plotted to blow up parliment on 5 November 1605 when King James and the members of parliment were inside.  The "Gunpowder Plot" was headed by Catesby, but the execution came down to Fawkes.  Fawkes was arrested in the cellers underneath parliment before he could carry out the deed and was later tortured, then died as he jumped from the gallows ironically breaking his neck in the fall. So to honor this day the the king encouraged the people of England to light bonfires to celebrate the fact that Guy Fawkes escaped assasination.

An effigy of Guy Fawkes ready to be set ablaze.

There are many Bonfire Societies that gather to Lewes and parade for literally hours (from 5:30 pm to 9:30pm) around town carrying torches, letting off huge firecrakers, and burning crosses. It's mad. And loud.

They dress up in all sorts of different costumes. Above is one of a Native American. We don't really know why they have Native American's in the procession. I don't think it's an English thing. Maybe they just like the headdresses. But they also dress up as pirates, middle ages atire, Persians, Vikings and many paint their faces black.

The town of Lewes has around 48,000 people but during Bonfire Night over 250,000 people come into town. It's packed.

There are people walking around pulling these large wagons with used torches that have been thrown aside from the parade. It's really warm when they walk past. It's nice.

I don't know why they had an astronaught in the parade. He was full of fireworks that they let off later in the night.

This guy was full of fireworks too.

After the long, cold procession we stopped in to take a break. This was really the only business open. The chai was so delicious and warm.

After our little break we walked over to the city park which was said to have the best bonefire. There were hords of people all awaiting the grand finale of the night. At the park they had some of the effigies ready to let off their fireworks. It was quite a show. The fireworks went off forever.

And the best part was the huge bonefire. There were thousands of wooden pallets stacked up stories high. As the societies came running in with their torches they all threw them on the pallets as the crowd cheered. After massive billows of smoke covering the crowd the pallets went up in flames. It was insane.

The bonefire is behind us but it was taken after the flames had died down. They were at least 4x the size they are in the photo.

Now that was what we call a bonfire.