Bonfire night will be here before you know it, and as much as you might dread the prospect of another long, cold evening spent huddled in your coat, there’s no denying that a bonfire is one of the most atmospheric events of autumn. A roaring bonfire is a wonderful focal point for any garden party or other outdoor gathering; what’s more, the event can easily be extended into an entire evening with some simple planning and premeditated prep work. However, many people tend to shy away from organising a bonfire because it seems like such a daunting task. But don’t panic! With a little bit of preparation and organisation, hosting your very own successful bonfire night is much easier than you think…
Make Sure You Have The Right Equipment
Before you start organising your bonfire night, you should first make sure that you have all the right equipment that’s needed to make the event a success. First and foremost, you will need a large supply of firewood to construct your bonfire and keep it burning throughout the night. However, buying firewood from your local shop isn’t the most economical way to acquire your fuel. Instead, you might want to consider cutting down some logs from your own garden – many trees contain a large amount of natural firewood, which can be used to create a bonfire that’s both environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Other necessary equipment for hosting a bonfire includes a spade, an axe, and a tarpaulin or a thick piece of cardboard.
Decide On Your Theme
A bonfire night is a great opportunity to choose a theme and run with it, but you’ll need to decide on your theme as soon as possible. Ideally, you should start planning for your bonfire as soon as the summer ends and the leaves begin to fall from the trees. This will give you enough time to find decorations, bake and cook any themed snacks, and find any additional props that might be required to really bring your theme to life and make your bonfire night extra special. Even if you don’t have a big budget to spend on themed decorations, there are plenty of ways to bring your chosen theme to life. For example, a Halloween-themed bonfire is an excellent excuse to introduce some spooky tunes to the mix, and Christmas-themed bonfires are a great chance to dust off your old decorations and play a few festive tunes.
Plan Your Menu
While you don’t necessarily need to build a menu that’s specific to your chosen theme, it’s important to plan your menu in advance to ensure that you have enough food for everyone and that you can cater for all dietary requirements if necessary. A few good ideas for the perfect bonfire menu include hotdogs or sausages, baked potatoes, and a selection of dips and salads that can be eaten either at the table or on a picnic blanket by the fire. If you’re hosting a Halloween-themed bonfire, then you might want to serve up some spooky snacks, such as spider biscuits or eyeball cakes. Christmas-themed bonfires are a great opportunity to serve up some festive meals, such as turkey and stuffing, roasted vegetables, and yule log.
Send Out Avoid Invites
If your bonfire night is open to everyone, then you should consider sending out invites as soon as you have a date and location for your event. However, if you’re hosting a bonfire for a smaller group of friends or family members, then you might want to send out avoid invites for certain people or groups of people. For example, if you’re hosting a bonfire for colleagues but you know that one or two of them will be unable to attend due to other commitments, then you should avoid invite them so they don’t feel obligated to come. Moreover, you might want to send out invites to people who have children in advance to make sure that they’re aware of your event and can make appropriate child-friendly arrangements.
Select A Location And Decorations
As with your theme, you should start thinking about your location and decorations as soon as autumn begins. Ideally, you should choose a location that’s easy to access and won’t be too noisy or disruptive to your neighbours. You might also want to consider hosting your bonfire event in a park or woodland area – many local authorities are now hosting bonfire night celebrations for the public, meaning that you can enjoy a bonfire without having to worry about sourcing all the fuel and equipment yourself. When it comes to decorations, you’ll want to make sure that they’re safe around the bonfire and aren’t likely to get burnt. You can either place them around the bonfire area or keep them on tables a safe distance away from the fire.
Don’t Forget The Fire Safety Basics!
Finally, for all your hard work to come to fruition, you have to make sure that you follow all the fire safety basics and make your event as safe as possible. To start, you should check your local area and see if there are any events nearby that might be operating a bonfire (or nearby bonfires) that might put your own at risk. Ideally, you should host your bonfire during off-peak hours, such as during the evening after work. Next, you should make sure that your bonfire is in an open space and that the surrounding area is clear of anything flammable. Furthermore, you should make sure that you have a good supply of water on hand in case of an emergency, such as a nearby fire or a fire starting at your bonfire. Don’t forget to wear some thick fire-retardant gloves, too!
Lock In Some Good Tunes
Finally, you might want to host a bonfire accompanied by some tunes. Whether you’re hosting your bonfire during Halloween, a Christmas event, or just on a regular autumn weekend, music will help to set the mood and bring your bonfire night to life. You can either host your bonfire in the comfort of your home and play some music through your preferred method of sound, or you could take it to the next level by hiring an outdoor event organiser and getting a sound system set up near your bonfire. If you do decide to host your bonfire in your home, make sure that the room is well ventilated, and that you have a plan in place in case of any accidents or conflagrations.