Which two displays are central to modern Guy Fawkes Night celebrations?

The two displays central to modern Guy Fawkes Night celebrations are bonfires and fireworks.

The tradition began after the Gunpowder Plot was foiled on 5 November 1605. Londoners lit bonfires to celebrate King James I’s survival, and Parliament later made the date an official day of thanksgiving. Fireworks became increasingly associated with the event from the 1650s onward, echoing the gunpowder that the plotters intended to use.

Modern celebrations are usually organised around a large public bonfire and a fireworks display, often accompanied by food stalls, music, fairground rides, and the burning of a “Guy” effigy. Local customs differ: Lewes in Sussex, for example, is famous for elaborate processions and politically themed effigies.

Feasts, carols, parades, maypoles, lanterns, and candles can appear in particular communities or other seasonal traditions, but they are not the defining pair for Guy Fawkes Night. The event is also called Bonfire Night, Firework Night, or Guy Fawkes Day.