Our guide to all the bonfire events in Sussex this autumn

Burgess Hill Bonfire Night. PIc Steve Robards SR28091902 SUS-190930-104236001Burgess Hill Bonfire Night. PIc Steve Robards SR28091902 SUS-190930-104236001
Burgess Hill Bonfire Night. PIc Steve Robards SR28091902 SUS-190930-104236001

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Towns across Sussex will be building effigies, setting up bonfires and organising parades for a 300 year old tradition this Autumn. If you want a chance to wrap-up warm,grab a sparkler and join in, here is our handy guide to all the bonfires taking place across Sussex this November.

For a sneak preview of what some of these bonfires are like, take a look at our photos from this year’s Burgess Hill Bonfire.

Battle

Saturday, November 2.

This will be a free non-ticketed event hosted by the Battel Bonfire Boyes. All donations given on the night to official street collectors goes to help local charities and good causes.

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There are events running throughout the day but, at 7.45pm, a maroon will signal the start of the procession on Market Road. It will proceed down the High Street and Lower Lake to the Station Approach.

Turning at Station Approach and returning to the Abbey Green the procession will enter the Abbey Gatehouse to keep the traditional involvement of Battle Abbey within the celebrations. Having turned within the Abbey, the Battel Bonfire Boyes and visiting societies will make their way back up the High Street where they will turn and re-torch at the roundabout.

Making its way back down the High Street, the procession will return to the Abbey Green where the bonfire will be lit to the traditional cry and the firework display will commence.

There will be no parking as this is a small town with limited spaces, and road closures can be found on the society’s website.

Bognor Regis

Aldwick and Pagham Sea Scouts annual fireworks display.

Saturday, November 9.

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One of the most popular fireworks and bonfire events in Bognor Regis, this fireworks night, supported by The Secure Communities Scheme, aims to help raise funds for the Aldwick and Pagham Sea Scouts so that they can buy new bell tents for their dragon challenge. Proceeds will also go towards allowing the sea scouts to try out new activities, funding everything from spending a night on the HMS Belfast to camping out under the stars.

There will also be food, hot drinks, pop-corn and a raffle.

Gates will open at 6pm and tickets cost £3 for adults, £2 for children and £7 for families.

Brighton.

There will be two events held in Brighton.

The first will be the Brighton Lions Fireworks Display, held at the Brighton Race course.

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gates open at 6pm and display begins at 7.30pm on Sunday, November 3.

This is one of the biggest and most feature-rich fireworks displays on the South Coast. There will be fairground rides for the children before the display, and refreshments will be available.

Admission prices will be £12 for adults and £6 for children under 16.

Family tickets are available for two adults and two children at £30.

For more information, visit the event’s website.

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The second will be The Family Firework Spectacular, held at The Nevil Playing Fields, Nevil Avenue, Hove on Saturday, November 2.

The fireworks here will be choreographed to popular hit songs, alongside a few musical surprises. Gates Open at 5pm and the display itself begins at 7pm.

Adult advance tickets cost £10 but children aged 3-15 can attend for £5. Early bird tickets, however, are even cheaper at £8 for adults and £4 for children. It will also be possible to buy tickets at the door, which will cost £12 for adults and £6 for children. These tickets are, unfortunately, cash only.

To save yourself some money and buy tickets in advance, visit their website

Eastbourne

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Eastbourne’s Bonfire night took place on October 5, from 7.30pm. For pictures, and more information, visit our picture gallery.

For more information about the Eastbourne Bonfire Society and next year’s event,visit the Bonfire Society’s website.

Hastings

The Hastings Bonfire Procession took place on Saturday, October 19, to find out more about it, take a look at our picture gallery.

Horsham Rugby Club

Saturday, November 2

Gates will open at 5pm at Horsham Rugby Football Club, Hammerpond Road, giving everyone enough time to enjoy the fair, food stalls and atmosphere, with the fireworks commencing at 8pm.

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Standard price tickets (advance) are £8 but £10 on the day, and advance family tickets- which cover up to five people- are £25 but £30 on the day. Children under five go free.

All tickets can be purchased from their eventbrite page, although a small booking fee will apply and sales of advance tickets will cease on Tuesday, November 1.

Robin Hood Bonfire Night

Sunday, November 3

Main Road, Icklesham, East Sussex, TN36 4BD

Procession starts from 5.30pm and the bonfire will begin at 6.30pm, fireworks from approximately 6.40pm.

Entry costs £3, under 12s £2, all profits will go to charity.

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There will be fairground rides, a licenced bar, and a hog roast.

Lewes

Tuesday, November 5.

This is one of Britain’s biggest Bonfire Night celebrations, so there will be different processions held by different societies in different parts of the town all through the night.

There will be road closures all evening and night all around the Sussex routes into Lewes, starting from about 2pm, and the main procession routes will be out of bounds for car parking.

No trains will call at Lewes, Falmer, Glynde or Southease from 5pm on November 5 until the first timetabled trains on the morning of November 6.

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For information on the history and culture of the Lewes bonfire celebrations, click here.

For some idea of the scope, scale and spectacle of the Lewes Bonfire night, take a look at out our retrospective on last year’s event.

Or check out our article on road closures and rail restrictions for more information about getting to the event.

Lindfield

Tuesday, November 5.

The evening of the free to attend celebration starts with a fancy dress competition at the King Edward Hall. This is followed by a torch light procession around Lindfield, which heads onto the common for the reading of the Bonfire Prayer and the lighting of the bonfire. The evening finishes with the grand firework display.

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Approximate timings and road closure details can be found on the Lindfield Bonfire Society website..

Midhurst Fireworks night

Friday, November 8, 6pm at Midhurst Rother College.

After last year’s highly successful display, which attracted nearly 2000 people with its professionally choreographed display,tH the MRC Parents Association is returning with another highly anticipated fireworks night.

That won’t be all that’s available at the fireworks event, guests will also be able to buy wood fired pizza, hot drinks, pancakes, waffles and hot dogs from a variety of food and drinks stalls.

But, before they’ve filled up on food and watched the fireworks, children are invited to take part in a variety of activities in the school’s sports hall. There will be live music from the school’s talented student bands, face-painting, hair- braiding, and active games.

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To things off, the local fire and rescue team will be bringing one of their fire engines along, to give curious future fire-fighters a glimpse into the tools of the trade.

Tickets are best bought in advance and cost £5.50 for adults or £3.50 for children. It is also possible to buy a family ticket, which covers four guests for £15. Tickets are available at the Midhurst and Rother College Reception, Mane Street, Caffe Verdi, and The Upholsterer, all on the high street.

It is also possible to buy tickets online, via eventbrite.

Milland village bonfire and fireworks night 2019

Saturday November 2, Recreation Ground, Iping Road.

The bonfire will be lit at 6pm and the fireworks will start an hour and a half later at 7.30pm

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This is a long standing village event, famous for its family friendly atmosphere. Alongside the always opular fireworks and bonfire display, guests will also get the chance to enjoy a Best Guy and carved pumpkin competition, a hog roast, bars selling real ale and mulled wines for grown ups, as well as sweets and pop for the little ones.

Tickets will be available at the gate, but can also be obtained in advance from either Milland Stores or Rising Sun.

They cost £5 for adults, £3 for children under 15 and under 5’s are welcome for free. Family tickets are also available at a discounted rate of £15.

This is a community event, organised by a team of 40 dedicated volunteers. As such, proceeds from the Miland bonfire and fireworks night will go to a variety of charities and community organisations. In the past, the fireworks night has helped support the Hollycombe School, the Village Hall and Recreation Ground and, among many others, the Milland Lunch Club.

Neville

Saturday, November 16. 6pm.

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This ceremony will involve two torchlit processions, accompanied by several bands. The society’s grand tableau will be pulled through the streets of the Nevill Estate, Lewes.

The society will then process up to the firesite, on Landport Bottom, where it will light the bonfire. Following an address by the clergy, it will then light up the Sussex night sky through the destruction of the effigies, tableau and a final grand firework display.

A third, and final, procession will head back to headquarters where they will sing bonfire prayers. More information is available at the Neville Juvenile Bonfire Society website.

Interested in the History of Guy Fawkes, The Gunpowder Plot and the 5th of November bonfire celebrations? Check out our informative video.

Newick

Saturday, November 2

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Newick Bonfire Society will also be organising a torch lit procession and lighting of the beacon on The Green on Sunday, November 11 at 6.30pm

To find out more, visit the Newick Bonfire Society website.

Ninfield

Saturday, October 12

Procession and firework display will follow the route of Church Lane onto the Green into Manchester Road, Coombe Lane and Standard Hill, onto the High Street, The Green and back into Church Lane leading onto the Recreation Ground.

At 7.15pm the procession lines up in Church Lane, leaving at 7.30pm. The fire will be lit, followed by the fireworks display.

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To find out more about the Ninfield Bonfire Night, click here.

Northchapel, Petworth

Sunday, November 3.

Northchapel’s very own Bonfire night celebrations will start outside St Michael’s Church, with the bonfire being lit at 7pm and the fireworks going off at 7.15pm.

There will be a range of snacks and refreshments to purchase and, though the event is free, all donations will go towards the cost of the event and general church upkeep.

Find out more on the event’s Facebook page.

Rye

Saturday, November 9.

Rye Bonfire Night is organised by the Rye Bonfire Society, who also run the fireworks display.

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The fireworks are launched from the far side of where the fishing fleet moor, good vantage points include the salts, Hilders cliff, the cricket pitch and the back of the Queens pub as well as the Monckbretton bridge area.

All streets on the processional route in Rye town centre will be closed to traffic from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

To find out more about the event schedule, road closures and more, visit the Rye Bonfire Society website.

South Heighton

Saturday, November 9.

The procession will form up near the Flying Fish in Denton, moving off at approximately 6.30pm. It will stop outside the Hampden Arms for a short period before reforming and carrying on down the hill to the firesite at South Heighton recreation ground. Fireworks will go off at approximately 8pm. Entrance costs £4 for adults, and accompanied under 18s free (up to three per adult).

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Again, for more details and for information about road closures, visit their website.

Worthing

Tuesday November 5

The Worthing Lions fireworks display is one of the biggest and most popular of the year. The fireworks themselves will start at 7.30, on the pier, but there will also be a market in Steyne Gardens all day, opening at 10am and closing at 10pm.

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