Bonfire Night | Mencap | Easy Read

Bonfire Night

A calendar with the date 5 November on it.

What is Bonfire Night?

Bonfire Night is a British celebration that takes place on 5 November.

People standing by a bonfire with fireworks in the sky behind them.

Bonfire Night is also called Guy Fawkes Night or Fireworks Night.

A person with a bonfire and fireworks behind them.

People usually celebrate Bonfire Night with firework displays and bonfires.

A woman sitting on a chair thinking. In the thought bubble are Guy Fawkes and some other men.

Why is 5 November Bonfire Night?

Bonfire Night remembers an event from over 400 years ago.

A man wearing a crown and robes sitting on a throne.

A group of people wanted to remove King James I from power.

3 men in historic clothes with a gun and barrels of gunpowder. Behind them is the river Thames and the Houses of Parliament.

They planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London with gunpowder. Their plan did not work.

A man in the costume of the time of Guy Fawkes holding a lantern.

One of the men in the group was called Guy Fawkes.

Guy Fawkes standing beside lots of barrels of gunpowder.

Guy Fawkes was found with barrels of gunpowder under the Houses of Parliament.

A policeman in a cape putting handcuffs on to Guy Fawkes.

He was arrested and taken to prison on 5 November 1605.

People in 17th century clothing looking happy and standing around a bonfire.

People started to light bonfires to celebrate that the plan had not worked.

A calendar showing 5 November and a bonfire on it.

This was the start of Bonfire Night.

Guy Fawkes with a red circle around him and a red line through him.

Why do people celebrate Guy Fawkes?

People do not celebrate Guy Fawkes because he was a hero.

A crowd celebrating behind a policeman and Guy Fawkes.

In the beginning, people celebrated that Guy Fawkes had been caught and the plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament had not worked.

A woman in a coat smiling with fireworks going off behind her.

Today, lots of people go to local events to enjoy fireworks and bonfires on or around 5 November.

A warning sign next to a firework and a sparkler.

Bonfire Night safety

Fireworks, bonfires and sparklers can be dangerous.

Two people watching a firework display.

If you want to watch fireworks, it is best to watch them at an organised event near you.

A red x beside a rocket, a farm building, a cow and a horse.

You should keep fireworks away from people, animals, buildings and anything that could catch fire.

A hand holding a list of rules next to a firework.

You should always follow the safety instructions on fireworks.

A hand lighting a firework.

Only adults should light fireworks.

A red circle with a line through it. In the circle is a woman walking up to a lit firework.

You should never hold a lit firework or go back to check it.

A man with his hands over his ears. Behind him is a firework exploding and sound waves.

Some fireworks are very loud. They can frighten some people and animals.

A packet of sparklers with 2 sparklers above it.

If you buy sparklers, you should always follow the safety instructions on the packet.

A hand with a red finger holding a burning sparkler.

Sparklers can burn skin, so always be careful with them.

A woman looking at her phone which has map pins on the screen.

Is there a Bonfire Night celebration near me?

You might be able to find a Bonfire Night or Firework Night event near you.

A computer screen showing a list of events.

Check your local council website , community groups or local event listings.

A group of people stood back from a bonfire watching colourful fireworks light up the night sky

Some events may have:

fireworks
loud noises
lots of people
bright or flashing lights
bonfires.

A man watching fireworks through a window.

You might like to plan to stay indoors where it is quieter, or watch fireworks from further away.