Bonfire Night falls on the 5th of November each year to bring warmth, light, and sparkle to dark autumn nights. Whether this year will be your first Bonfire Night event or your fiftieth, switch things up and keep your guests engaged with ideas for everything from themed food to entertainment. Check out this article to learn more about the origins of Bonfire Night, and creative ideas for hosting all kinds of events to celebrate it.

What does Bonfire Night celebrate?

Every year on Bonfire Night, millions of people around the UK set off fireworks and gather around bonfires to commemorate the failure of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot. Over four hundred years ago, Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators were caught in the act, trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London using barrels of gunpowder. To celebrate the plot being stopped, the government declared the 5th of November a day of national celebration – and it’s been one ever since.

Today, Bonfire Night is a popular UK festival that mainly involves a warm bonfire, enjoying colourful fireworks, and eating hearty food. It’s a great excuse to bring people together for some warmth and light on a cold autumn evening.

Bonfire Night event ideas

Thinking of hosting an event for Bonfire Night? Whether you’re planning a fireworks display or something a little less traditional, check out these Bonfire Night event ideas to create an event that sparkles.

Bonfire

A big, crackling bonfire is the key to any outdoor Bonfire Night celebration. Originally conceived as a means to burn the ‘Guy’ (a straw mock-up of Guy Fawkes), bonfires are a great focal point as their warmth and light naturally draw people in. You can even use them to cook tasty treats and invite guests to roast marshmallows over the flames.

On the night, make sure that you have one person or a small team dedicated to looking after the bonfire. Their job is to add wood or other fuel at the right time so that the fire stays the size you want, without becoming dangerously large or dying out too soon. At larger events, you’ll need team members on hand to manage the crowd around the bonfire – consider including a fence to make sure nobody gets too close.

Fireworks

Filling the sky with bright, colourful fireworks has long been a popular way to celebrate Bonfire Night. If you’re considering planning and setting off the display yourself, make sure to look out for everyone’s health and safety. Alternatively, consider hiring a specialist company to plan and run your display. Whichever option you go for, remember to make sure that everything’s in line with the government health and safety guidelines.

Handheld sparklers are also a must-have for any fireworks display. You could sell them at your event or include them in the ticket price. Just make sure there’s plenty of space for attendees to set them off, as well as lots of sand or water buckets for safe disposal.

Food and drink

Warm guests up with hearty food at your Bonfire Night event, or help them get into the celebratory spirit with decorative treats. Check out these ideas for Bonfire Night food and drink.

Food and drink to warm your guests up

Help your attendees keep out the chills with hearty food and mugs of steaming beverages.

• A big dish of chilli is always a crowd-pleaser and is easy to make vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free
• Keep it on theme by serving bangers and mash, or add some heat with chilli sausages
• Hot, fresh, sugared doughnuts are always a popular way to warm up
• Mulled cider or apple juice gets guests feeling festive, while hot chocolate is always popular, especially with kids

Food that doubles up as decoration

Visually pleasing treats help to link back to the theme of your event and can make great dessert options.

Bonfire cakes, firework biscuits, and chocolate sparklers are all delicious classics that’ll have your guests queuing up for more. Or invite guests to roast their own marshmallows for a fun interactive treat that’s sure to be popular with children and big kids alike. You could even take it a step further with a make-your-own s’more station.

Why not jazz up drinks by adding a dash of edible glitter? This super simple idea needs minimal preparation yet makes every drink into an exciting treat. Take a look at our Firework Night ideas board for more ways to jazz up food and beverages.

Alcoholic drinks

Why not offer some adult-only drink options? Many of these are closely linked to their soft-drink counterparts, making it easy to serve both at your event.

• Mulled cider can be made either with regular or specific cider for mulling
• Alternatively, offer mulled apple juice with an optional shot of rum or whisky
• Shots of liqueur such as Baileys or Kaluha add a kick to hot chocolate
• Why not try red wine in hot chocolate for a deep, rich flavour?

Bonfire Night activity ideas

There are many options besides fire and food to excite your guests on Bonfire Night. Whether you’re planning a less traditional event or just want to give your guests plenty of different activities to choose from, these bonfire night activity ideas will help you entertain attendees of all ages.

Firework-themed crafts for kids

Help kids get stuck into Bonfire Night safely with these craft ideas. If you’re planning a big bonfire night event, why not include a kids’ zone where younger ones can make friends and get creative while their parents relax and socialise?

• Create fantastic fireworks pictures with paint, pastel crayons, or glitter glue
• Take it a step further and make collages from coloured foil or other recycled materials
• Build your own ‘fireworks’ by adding colourful streamers to a bottle rocket
• Decorate cupcakes or biscuits to look like bonfires or fireworks
• Roast marshmallows (carefully!) over a fire

Funfair stalls

Why not include funfair stalls for added entertainment if you’re organising a larger bonfire night event? Classics such as a coconut shy or hook-a-duck game are relatively easy to organise yourself – or you could book vendors to keep your workload down. If you have space, consider booking some funfair rides as extra entertainment for attendees before the main firework display.

Raffle

Raffles encourage guests to stay to the end, whether you’re running a small community event or a fireworks display for your whole area. Why not work with local businesses to offer a range of prizes? Or keep things on theme and stock up the prize stand with extra sparklers and luxury hot chocolate kits.

Quiz

Get guests thinking and working together with a Bonfire Night-themed quiz. You could have rounds on Bonfire Night celebrations of the past, branch out into the history of the Gunpowder Plot itself, or even include a creative round where guests can earn points by crafting their own model bonfire or Guy.

Bonfire Night activities for adults

Bonfire Night isn’t just for kids – adults can enjoy autumnal celebrations too. If you’re designing and marketing your event mainly to adult guests, check out these Bonfire Night party ideas for a stylish celebration.

Celebrate with live music

Whether part of a traditional Bonfire Night event with flames and fireworks or a new-school, adult-only party, live music is guaranteed to create a great atmosphere. Include the performance as an entertainment option, or consider working with artists and firework technicians to create an enthralling firework display set to live music. You could hire a DJ and provide a dance floor indoors or in a large covered space to make it a night to remember.

Bonfire Night gala

Tell your guests to get their best party outfits on and host a Bonfire Night gala. Music, dancing, sophisticated décor, and themed food and drink options are the perfect recipes for a refined party night. Decorate an outdoor area with fairy lights or lanterns to make the most of the autumn air. End the night with a firework display, and you’re sure to delight your attendees.

Scavenger hunt

A scavenger hunt keeps guests busy and engaged during the event. Hide signs or objects around your venue for participants to spot and offer a prize draw for everyone who finds them all. Or ask guests to take a photo with each item and post it on social media with a unique hashtag just for the event. Combine with a prize draw and offer prizes for the best photos.

Traditional Bonfire Night activities

Bonfire Night has been a popular UK celebration for over four hundred years, so several traditions are associated with it. These are some popular ones that often go down well.

Guy Fawkes

Guy Fawkes was part of the crew that came up with the original Gunpowder Plot that led to the creation of Bonfire Night. Many traditional Bonfire Night celebrations included burning a Guy – or Guy Fawkes effigy – made of old clothes stuffed with flammable materials like straw or newspaper. Adding the Guy to the bonfire would be the main event of the night.

If you fancy including a nod to this tradition, why not include Guy Fawkes masks (like those in the film “V for Vendetta”) as decoration? Or go for campfire-themed cupcakes with a little Guy on top.

Sparklers

These small handheld fireworks are a popular bonfire night tradition. Guests will love watching them fizzle and shine, as well as writing their names or drawing pictures with the smoke trails created. Consider jazzing up cakes with miniature versions designed to be used in place of birthday candles to add a little extra something.

If you prefer something different, why not offer guests handheld flaming torches? Like sparklers, they’ll burn out relatively fast, leaving a handle guests can safely hold. You’ll still need plenty of sand or water buckets for guests to extinguish them safely, though.

Traditional snacks

Many Bonfire Night traditions include food, from delicious snacks to whole meals.

• Toffee apples: a sticky, sugary coating pairs perfectly with the slightly sharper apple inside
• Hot dogs are a popular snack option served at firework displays
• Jacket potatoes are traditional and easily cooked on a fire. Why not take it further with shepherd’s pie served in a baked potato skin?

How do you plan a Bonfire Night party?

No matter how big or small your Bonfire Night event will be, there are plenty of different options to consider. Here are some key things to think about as part of your planning. You’ll need to find an appropriate location, get the correct permissions from local authorities, and create a risk assessment of the whole event to ensure everyone stays safe.

Choosing a venue

• Is there enough space for all the activities and guests you want to include?
• Does your venue have rules or guidelines about what you can or can’t do?

Fire safety

• Do you have enough space for your fireworks display?
• Do you need professional fireworks technicians to ensure your display is safe and goes to plan?
• How will you make sure guests stay safe around the bonfire?

Weather

• Do you have a backup plan if it rains on the night?
• Do you have a backup plan for your planned firework display if it’s too windy?

For more information on making sure your Bonfire Night event is safe and well planned, check out our Guide to Organising a Fantastic and Safe Fireworks Night.

Bonfire Night is a great excuse to celebrate and bring communities together on cold autumn nights. Get support with everything from marketing to ticket sales from Eventbrite today.