Guy Fawkes Night!

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

Its that time of year again, 5th november has arrived so lets all set off some fireworks but remember to be safe.

So what are everyones plans?

I am going to the Big Portsmouth Display on wednesday.

[mayor of the manor 0]

I've already been to see the Lancaster Castle fireworks. Stood in Williamson park on a hill above the city centre. It was like watching the apocalyspe play out below you! Great! I miss my village's bonfire night though... with the 30ft Guy Fawkes to burn.

[KingTitan 6]

Im from USA.....I only know the 4th of July for obvious reasons.....what is this celebration you are referring to? (just interested)

[sim1234 62]

Originally posted by: KingTitan Im from USA.....I only know the 4th of July for obvious reasons.....what is this celebration you are referring to? (just interested) quote>

Bonfire (Guy Fawkes) Night is described well by Boggy1 in this thread here.

EDIT: We've just set fireworks off in the garden and it went well except for one which didn't light properly.

[BurroDiablo 222]

Originally posted by: KingTitan Im from USA.....I only know the 4th of July for obvious reasons.....what is this celebration you are referring to? (just interested) quote>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

----

Fireworks have been going off in my town every night for 2 freaking weeks now, so i'm fed up with them... todays just the icing on the cake really.

[toxicpiano 125]

Originally posted by: KingTitan Im from USA.....I only know the 4th of July for obvious reasons.....what is this celebration you are referring to? (just interested) quote>

 ...

www.google.com

 Anyway I went to a display on Saturday. None for me tonight. They'll be plenty going off around my area anyway

[KingTitan 6]

Sound really interesting....i love culture.....and the celebration is almost an ECHO (Or vise versa) of "Burning man" here in the states....

Thanks guys.....and gals

[toxicpiano 125]

Originally posted by: KingTitan Sound really interesting....i love culture.....and the celebration is almost an ECHO (Or vise versa) of "Burning man" here in the states....

Thanks guys.....and gals quote>

Except this is based on a 400 year old historical event...

[Boggy1 45]

Ah, well, since this thread has more replies than my thread; I'll move my post over here.

It's that time of year again, when the British population goes into a frenzy of firework buying, bonfire lighting, and general mayhem creating.

Bonfire night, commonly known as Guy Fawkes Night or Fireworks night, is where we British (and New Zealand, South Africa, Austrailia, plus other Commonwealth nations), technically, celebrate the failure of terrorists. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was a plot by a number of Catholics to assasinate the Protestant King James Ist, by blowing up the houses of Parliment.

The plot did fail, and nearly all of the plotters were hanged, drawn, and quartered.

The most famous plotter was that of Guy Fawkes, who was the gunpowder genius behind the plot. He was in charge of carrying out the final preperations. He was also the one who stowed away in a celler under the Houses of Parilemt with the kegs of gunpowder, and a torch. He was discovered at the last possible minute, reportadly just before he set the torch to the fuse cord.

Every 5th of November, the night when the plot was foiled, large bonfires are lit all across the country, with a stuffed, usually of straw, model on top. Fireworks, streamers, and sparklers are used and lit and fired into the air. Typically everysingle community, be it city or village, participates in some way. But, due to November 5th often falling on a schoolday, many firework displays are started a few days beforehand on a weekend to compensate.

I personnaly have a connection with the Gunpowder Plot, as I am almost directly descended from two of the plotters, Thomas and Robert Winter. I've also always found it odd that we celebrate the plot by lighting fireworks; which is meant to represent the blowing up of the Houses of Parliment (even though they weren't). Also, the burning of bonfires with the effigy of Guy Fawks ontop has always puzzled me; as Guy Fawkes wasn't burned to death. That was a punishment mainly reserved for heretics. Instead, he was hung, drawn and quartered (the punishment for treason) like the rest of the plotters.

Ah well.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

I know of no reason

Why Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent

To blow up King and Parliament.

Three-score barrels of powder below

To prove old England's overthrow;

By God's providence he was catch'd

With a dark lantern and burning match.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

[GingerBlokey 30]

I love fireworks. The only problem is all of the fireworks are on the other side of town. So all I can see is the pretty colours reflect on the back of the houses out of my window. Everytime there is a cool one i have to run to the front of the house and then I miss it.

[KingTitan 6]

Originally posted by: toxicpiano

Originally posted by: KingTitan Sound really interesting....i love culture.....and the celebration is almost an ECHO (Or vise versa) of "Burning man" here in the states....

Thanks guys.....and gals quote>

Except this is based on a 400 year old historical event...quote>

 

That's why i said vise versa...i didn't know....I stand corrected.......Thanks friend.

[MayorTim 16]

This is just slightly off topic, but I just saw a trailer for the next V for Vendetta movie (looks awesome btw!) which seems to be loosely based off of the November 5th "Guy Fawkes night."

Check out the trailer!

[Godzillaman 21]

Originally posted by: MayorTim This is just slightly off topic, but I just saw a trailer for the next V for Vendetta movie (looks awesome btw!) which seems to be loosely based off of the November 5th "Guy Fawkes night."

Check out the trailer!quote>

Pardon me but...didn't that come out? I've seen it on the movie network.

[MayorTim 16]

Hmm, perhaps I'm wrong. I'd never seen the movie, and I thought this was a trailer for a sequel. At least, thats what the Myspace bulletin I read today said.

Oh well, it's still kind of cool that it goes along with this British holiday.

[Tropod 144]

So what are everyones plans?quote>

I plan to set alight a mosquito coil

It has that distinct on-fire smell, is bright & scares the mosquitoes away in the process

[belfastuniguy 18]

Yeah V For Vendetta has been out for a long time, a fantastic film, very very interesting and good at the same time.

We don't celebrate Guy Fawkes in Northern Ireland, Halloween is our fireworks night.

[Duke87 1,070]

Guy Fawkes Night, eh? I wonder what else he can Fawke.

Okay, there. the obligatory "hey this sounds similar to a swear word" joke has been made. You may carry on now.

[Micah 16]

Originally posted by: Duke87 Guy Fawkes Night, eh? I wonder what else he can Fawke.

Okay, there. the obligatory "hey this sounds similar to a swear word" joke has been made. You may carry on now.quote>

 

To tell you the truth, before I clicked on the thread, I was thinking "Oh no... another thread to lock..."

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: Micah

To tell you the truth, before I clicked on the thread, I was thinking "Oh no... another thread to lock..." quote>

<cornholio> Are you threatening me? </cornholio>

[The boy formerly known as Evil Muzz 27]

We had fireworks on Sunday night, and there were a few on Monday. I have to say that I hardly ever see bonfires nowadays, it all seems to be about the fireworks, which is a shame because I like the smell of bonfires... And the fire... Yes, I am a pyromaniac.