Lewes Bonfire Night

[Badgers]

Lewes Bonfire Council Website

I especially like this disclaimer for all visitors:

Although a great deal of effort is directed into the safety aspects of Lewes Bonfire Night, fire and fireworks remain potentially dangerous. All persons should carefully note that attendance at Lewes Bonfire Night will constitute volenti non fit injuria, that is to say you will be deemed to have accepted any risk of injury or damage whatsoever, and no claim in respect thereof will lie against the organisers.

So have any Urbans been before? I have done several years and loved it every time but is it SO fucking busy that I have not been for a while.

 

[IMR]

I've been to the ones at Battle the last couple of years, they're amazing events that just wouldn't be allowed in London, maybe wisely.

The Lewes Bonfire Society website used to have a message along the lines of 'this is a local event for local people'.

 

[zenie]

I would so love to go Have no car atm

 

[Badgers]

The Lewes Bonfire Society website used to have a message along the lines of 'this is a local event for local people'.

We know from many years' experience that the larger the crowds, the more uncomfortable it can become for spectators, and we therefore urge people from outside the Lewes locality to celebrate in their own area.

Heh heh

 

[Crispy]

I went a few years ago and it's amazing. Barrels of fire rolling down the street, burning popes and politicians, carnival atmosphere loads of people out drinking and eating, then massive firework displays form every corner of the town. Very much worth seeing.

 

[Badgers]

It is a wonder isn't it? The tar barrel racing is faster and closer to the crowd than most people would ever expect. Great to go to the society displays at the end, see the effigies getting blown up and the skies endlessly filled with fireworks.

Best year for me was when my dad and I sold burgers and hot dogs at the roadside. Had a couple of camping stoves and old frying pans. Cool boxes full of cheap supermarket sausages and burgers, bags of rolls on the ground. 50p a time and they were sold out in a flash. Proper health and safety all the way. Was there for three hours sitting on the ground cooking with bangers going off all around. I think I had washed my hands around lunchtime in the pub but don't recall

What was great that year was that we were in one spot on the main route so saw all the processions loop round.

 

[Gavin Bl]

It is a pretty incredibile night, its a hell of an event - some people find it a bit alarming, and the anti-catholic undertone (albeit pretty diluted now - apart from burning the pope!) set some european catholic friends a bit on edge.

Don't worry, I reminded them about our protestant martyrs on the hill !

 

[Badgers]

Seems there was an incident this year

Couple of okay videos on YouTube but it is hard to film

 

[Badgers]

Bump.

Anyone going this year? It is a Saturday so probably mad busy!!

 

[nuffsaid]

<smug>
It's where I live
</smug>

To be honest it can be a nightmare for us locals, outsiders park everywhere, including my neighbours front lawn, they weren't happy.

 

[Badgers]

<smug>
It's where I live
</smug>

To be honest it can be a nightmare for us locals, outsiders park everywhere, including my neighbours front lawn, they weren't happy.

I imagine it can be a headache. We had family there for a while so had a good vantage point. Also got sneaked in to the 'locals only' pubs for ale and stuffs.

 

[nuffsaid]

I imagine it can be a headache. We had family there for a while so had a good vantage point. Also got sneaked in to the 'locals only' pubs for ale and stuffs.

A few pints of Badgers no doubt.
They serve that in my fav Lewes pub. Good stuff.

 

[Badgers]

A few pints of Badgers no doubt.
They serve that in my fav Lewes pub. Good stuff.

Indeed

Also partaking of many Harvey's ales

 

[rutabowa]

not for outsiders is it? it's all wicker man type weird stuff. i'm staying away.

 

[oryx]

Didn't they burn a mock-up of a gypsy caravan one year?

 

[DJ Squelch]

Didn't they burn a mock-up of a gypsy caravan one year?

That was Firle Bonfire Society along the South Downs a bit, they burnt a caravan with "Pikeys" written on it.

I went on sat on Cliffe Hill last year overlooking Lewes, you could see all the different firework displays and the whole town lit up from the processions, 100s of people up there with me.

 

[sim667]

I want to go this year, but its also a mates leaving do in fulham

 

[editor]

I went there once. Loved it!

 

[editor]

Seems there was an incident this year

There's some aggro in the comments after that article too.

 

[Badgers]

Beeb article saying that 60,000 people expected.

 

[Dan U]

I've always wanted to go but it seems like a ball ache to get to and park at. Last few years I've gone to Brockham - torch procession, guy burning, massive fire and fireworks, village pubs open etc - albeit not as good as Lewes appears.

 

[Fedayn]

Never wanted top go, not really that into traditional events about burning Catholics.... Makes me a tad queasy. But hey it's traditional....

 

[editor]

Never wanted top go, not really that into traditional events about burning Catholics.... Makes me a tad queasy. But hey it's traditional....

It's not literally, actually, about that any more, you know.

 

[sim667]

I really want to go before it gets stopped for being dangerous....

Was offered to work as a steward, i just cant get there this year i dont think.....

 

[Fedayn]

It's not literally, actually, about that any more, you know.

I am well aware of the massive dilution of the openly anti-RC bigotry, I still find celebrating the burning of Catholics and the still clear anti RC element a tad uncomfortable. No matter how many smiling jolly faces reminding us it's just a bit of fun and a tradtition here.

 

[TruXta]

*waits for someone to call Feds a party-pooper*

 

[weepiper]

I am well aware of the massive dilution of the openly anti-RC bigotry, I still find celebrating the burning of Catholics and the still clear anti RC element a tad uncomfortable. No matter how many smiling jolly faces reminding us it's just a bit of fun and a tradtition here.

#

we always had a bonfire on November the 5th when I was a kid, but never, ever, a guy.

 

[Fedayn]

*waits for someone to call Feds a party-pooper*

I wouldn't want to stop it and i'd sign any petition against it being stopped for 'political' reasons or H&S reasons etc. Just not for me.

 

[Badgers]

Seems plans are afoot in the Lewes area today

 

[oryx]

Is that ^ the John Harvey?

I'm working down that way next week and we've also got an open invitation from friends down there but I'm a bit cowardly about fireworks, if there are idiots about.