Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night) has been celebrated in Britain for roughly four centuries. The core commemorative date is November 5, dating back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Parliament was nearly blown up and a public Thanksgiving was soon established by law. Since then, communities have marked the occasion with bonfires and fireworks, though the tone and practice have varied over time and place. Key points and timeline

• Origins: The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 led to a standardized day of thanksgiving on November 5, initially with religious overtones and public prayers. Bonfires and the burning of effigies emerged as symbolic expressions of the plot’s failure and the preservation of the Protestant monarchy. This established tradition quickly spread beyond London to other towns and rural areas. [sources reviewed show consistent linkage to 1605 and the Observance of 5th November Act, later repealed in part as practices evolved]
• 17th–18th centuries: The celebration grew into a mass popular event, sometimes featuring anti-Catholic sentiment and public processions. The form of celebration varied by region, with towns such as Lewes developing particularly elaborate and long-standing customs involving processions and effigies. [historical summaries indicate regional differences and the longevity of Lewes-style celebrations]
• 19th–20th centuries: By the 19th century, Guy Fawkes Night had become a broadly observed social festival, with public displays of fireworks and community gatherings. The tone gradually shifted away from overt anti-Catholic rhetoric toward more general celebration. In many places, organized displays became common, though some towns maintained traditions that preserve the original local character. [reviews of historical periods show a move toward organized displays and safer public events]
• Modern era: Today, Bonfire Night is widely celebrated with organized firework displays, community events, and family gatherings. In some regions, the focus remains on community-led bonfires and local customs; in others, organized parks or venues provide controlled displays. The date remains November 5 in commemoration of the failed plot and the survival of the king and Parliament. [contemporary summaries emphasize the continued observance and the shift toward safety and public organization]

Notes on variations

• Lewes and other towns have distinctive, historically rooted rituals that preserve older tensions and festive practices, such as large-scale processions and effigy burning, while many other areas emphasize organized displays and spectator-friendly events. These local flavors are part of the broader national tradition that has persisted for over 400 years. [regional histories highlight Lewes as a notable example of persistent tradition]
• In Scotland, Northern Ireland, and other parts of the UK, the celebration is commonly referred to as Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night and shares the same November 5 date in most regions, though some local customs differ. [regional overviews indicate widespread adoption with localized customs]

Direct answer
Bonfire Night has been celebrated in Britain for roughly four centuries, since the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and the subsequent observance established for November 5 as a public day of thanksgiving. Over time the form of celebration has evolved from early, often communal and sometimes raucous practices to today’s mix of organized displays and local traditions, with regional variations such as Lewes’s famed processions continuing to reflect older roots.