Lewes is famous for one of England’s largest Bonfire Night celebrations.
The Lewes Bonfire celebrations take place in Lewes, East Sussex, and involve several local bonfire societies. Their traditions include torchlit processions, costumes, marching bands, fireworks and the burning of large effigies. The event attracts many visitors and is one of the most prominent 5 November observances in Britain.
Lewes’s bonfire tradition grew from older local customs and became strongly associated with remembrance of the Gunpowder Plot and the deaths of the 17 Protestant martyrs burned in Lewes during Mary I’s reign. Some processions also display historical or political effigies.
Lewes is not the capital of Bonfire Night, and its celebration is not the only major one in Britain. Its distinctive societies, elaborate processions and large crowds make it especially well known.