Guy Fawkes Night — also known as Bonfire Night — is celebrated across the United Kingdom every November 5. It commemorates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and co-conspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Bonfires are lit, fireworks fill the skies, and effigies of Guy Fawkes are burned across the country.
Guy Fawkes Night is always celebrated on November 5. In 2026, it falls on a Thursday.
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was a failed assassination attempt by a group of English Catholics who planned to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament.
Burning effigies of Guy Fawkes is a traditional way of marking the failure of the plot. The tradition began shortly after 1605 when people lit bonfires to celebrate the King's survival.
Use the live countdown above to see the exact number of days, hours, minutes, and seconds until Guy Fawkes Night.