Lewes Bonfire 2023: how to get tickets to Bonfire Night celebrations, when is it, start time, road closures

The famous Lewes Bonfire will return once again this year.

Dating back to the 1800s, the event is one of the most iconic Bonfire Night events in the country. Thousands of people will march through the East Sussex town as part of torch-lit processions.

The event takes place on Guy Fawkes Night each year and is exclusively for residents of Lewes. The bonfire is organised by six individual societies.

Pictures of the torch-lit processions look particularly spectacular. Flaming torches, firecrackers and bangers will all be used during the event on Saturday (5 November).

A number of road closures will be in place in Sussex, with train services into Lewes also stopping ahead of the event. Here is all you need to know:

When is the Lewes Bonfire?

The Lewes Bonfire - also known simply as the bonfire - takes place annually on Bonfire Night (5 November) except in the occasional that it falls on a Sunday. In that event, the bonfire will take place on the 4 November.

In 2023, the Lewes Bonfire will take place on Saturday, 4 November - this is due to Bonfire Night taking place on a Sunday this year. The procession will start at around 5pm and bonfires will begin around 9.45pm.

What happens at the Lewes Bonfire?

The bonfire marks not only Guy Fakwes Night - when a plot to blow up Parliament was uncovered - but also commemorates the memory of protestant martyrs who were burned at the stake in Lewes. The incident happened during the Marian Persecutions.

The burnings at the stake happened in Lewes between 1555 and 1557. The executations happened during the reign of Mary Tudor.

During the Lewes Bonfire there will be a series of torch-lit processions through the town. Around 3,000 people are expected to participate in the processions, with six individual bonfire societies taking part.

Each bonfire society will also hold their own firework displays following the torch-lit processions. The firework displays are expected to end around 11pm.

Who can attend the Lewes Bonfire?

The Lewes Bonfire is a spectacular event, however it is one only available for residents. On its website, VisitLewes says: “If you are not a Lewes resident, you will not be able to visit the town.”

The road into the town will shut at 4.45pm. Parking is not available in the town on the evening of 5 November due to the bonfire taking place.

However if you are not a local resident but still want to experience the Lewes Bonfire, you can watch a stream online. The event will be live streamed from the War Memorial by Rocket FM - visit the website here.

Do you need tickets and which bonfire should you attend?

If you are a resident of Lewes and are thinking about attending the bonfire this weekend you might be wondering if you need tickets to watch the event. Each bonfire, which is organised by one of the six societies, require tickets to attend.

VisitLewes explains: “All firesites are different. Once you have worked out where you are likely to be in the town for the processions, you may want to go to the nearest firesite. These are charged at different prices, some are free. If you pop into Lewes Information Centre at 187 High Street, they will be able to advise you.”

Which roads are closed?

Roads into Lewes will be shut from 4pm on Saturday (4 November) ahead of the beginning of the Lewes Bonfire. The procession starts at 5pm.

The full list of road closures is as follows:

• A27 junction with A277 Brighton Road (Ashcombe Roundabout)
• A275 Offham Road with B2116 Plumpton Road
• C7 Kingston Road junction with C324 Wellgreen Lane 
• A26 junction with A2029 Malling Street 
• A26 Lane Church junction with Church Mayhew Way

These will be followed by further road closures inside the town at 4.45pm on the day of the bonfire. Lewes and Eastbourne Councils advises: “Parking restrictions will begin to be imposed from noon.

"The map at the bottom of this page shows which roads will be closed and from what time. Roads in Lewes will re-open at 2am or once Sussex Police deem it safe to do so and the cleaning of the town is complete by Lewes District Council waste crews."

Will pubs remain open in Lewes?

On its website, VisitLews advises: “Some pubs remain open on a ticket only basis. The pubs are always really busy, and you may need to wait a while for a drink, so please be patient.”

Is it suitable for children?

The procession is described as being “extremely noisy” with firecrackers. bangers, drums and flaming torches all used during them. VisitLewes says: “Some parents provide their children with ear defenders, while some children might find the evening’s experience a bit overwhelming.”