Bonfire Night is a yearly event dedicated to bonfires, fireworks and celebrations. Different traditions celebrate Bonfire Night on different days. Some of the better known England Bonfire Nights are: 5 November in and some Commonwealth countries; 23 June in Ireland, sometimes known as St John’s Eve, a bonfire tradition which also survives in parts of Scandinavia; 11 July in Northern Ireland, where it is also called Eleventh night, precursor to The Twelfth; in Australia the Queen’s Birthday.

The most prominent Bonfire Night is that derived from the old English tradition of Guy Fawkes Night. The celebration has lost its religious significance, and is now celebrated as a night of revelry and fireworks throughout the UK and the Commonwealth. In Canada 5 November is commemorated with bonfires and firework displays, and it is officially celebrated in South Africa. In parts of the Caribbean laws banning fireworks and explosives have muted the occasion, and safety concerns in New Zealand have resulted in similar sales restrictions, although public firework displays remain popular there.

In the UK, which until 1859 was required by decree to celebrate the salvation of the king, traditionally the celebration included fireworks and building fires that were burning on the Guys, who were a doll bearing the effigy of Guy Fawkes, the most known of all the conspirators of 1605. On the eve of November 5 children used the Guys to borrow money penny shouting for the guy. Traditionally, penny was used to purchase fireworks.