Celebrating November 5th, in Lewes

Holding a torch at the Bonfire procession in Lewes

If you read my last blog on the celebration of November 5th, you will know that Britain celebrates the execution of Guy Fawkes, a man who fought in the Eighty Years' War on the side of Catholic Spain. He traveled to Spain to seek support for a Catholic rebellion in England but was unsuccessful. He later met Thomas Wintour, and in his return to England, was introduced to Robert Catesby, who planned to assassinate King James I and restore a Catholic monarch to the throne. They secured the lease to an undercroft beneath the House of Lords, and Fawkes was placed in charge of the gunpowder they stockpiled there. An anonymous letter prompted the authorities to search Westminster Palace on November 5th, and found Fawkes guarding the explosives. Fawkes became synonymous with the Gunpowder Plot, the failure of which has been commemorated in Britain since November 5th 1605. 

In celebrating this event each year, many towns around England hold huge bonfire events, processions, and parties. One of the largest celebrations held in England is put together in Lewes, East Sussex, a small historic town with tiny brick roads on a large hill side, with many little shops and pubs. 





Thousands of people gather for this event, towns and bonfire organizations gather to put on a procession and walk around Lewes with huge torches.







People dress up in costumes and make up and parade around the town for a couple of hours before lighting various massive bonfires on all sides of the town. 

People light off fireworks and carry torches around as they show their support for their country and for the execution of Guy Fawkes. 












The procession has many different parts, in which support the military, towns, and organizations that help fund this large event each year.

People collect donations, sell food and drinks, and gather together in the streets to support each other. 

 It was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget, so many different things to see and so many people that gathered and dressed up. 

All the costumes and the entire procession as so interesting and extravagant, literally one of the most exciting and outrageous parades I have ever seen in my life.

I had so much fun at the event, met a couple from London who kept me warm and drank with me! I had fun meeting new people and experiencing this once in a lifetime event! 

Selfie during the procession!

I have also added a video below to show how they start off the procession in Lewes, it is at the bottom of this blog.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!