We love Bonfire Night here at Garden Comforts. Not only does it get everyone together outdoors – in spite of the cold weather – it’s also a great excuse to throw a party in the garden!

Here are our favourite Bonfire Night party ideas with a healthy mixture of the traditional, the practical, and the fun.

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Provide Blankets

Bonfire Night is notorious for being chilly as the winter cold creeps it way into season. Getting cosy with friends and family and wrapping up warm in a scarf, hat, and gloves is definitely part of the fun of Bonfire Night.

Take this one step further for your guests by providing warm thick blankets to cuddle underneath as they watch your firework display. Guests will really appreciate this little attention to detail, especially if they’ve only bought a light jacket and it turns out to be chillier than expected.

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Serve Mulled Cider

A warm glass of mulled cider is sure to give anyone that cosy autumn feeling. It’s super easy to make and will be a total hit at your Bonfire Night party. Here’s a mulled cider recipe for four people – just adjust the amount accordingly depending on how many guests you’re expecting.

• Pour a litre of dry still cider into a large saucepan along with 400ml of apple juice and 75g (6 tablespoons) of dark brown sugar.
• Slowly bring it to a boil and then add the zest of 1 orange, 2 cinnamon sticks broken in half, 4 cloves, and 1 tablespoon of allspice berries.
• Turn down the heat to a simmer and pour in 200ml of sloe gin. Leave for 20-30 minutes on a low heat and then serve.

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Shelter Guests with a Gazebo

A little rain doesn’t mean the fireworks have to be called off but it may mean that your guests want to retreat the safety of indoors. We all know, however, that firework displays aren’t intended to be properly enjoyed from a window view. Avoid this Bonfire Night faux pas and cover all bases by keeping your guests sheltered from any potential drizzle with a pop up gazebo.

Our pop up gazebos range in size from 2x2m to 3x6m, meaning that you can choose a shelter that’s appropriate for the amount of guests you’re expecting. Go for a gazebo with no sides or simply leave the sides off on Bonfire Night so everyone can see as much of the firework display as possible.

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Serve Food Van Style Snacks

What’s Bonfire Night without the cuisine? There’s nothing like some hot stodgy food to warm you up on a cold November night. Serve your own food van style snacks in disposable cardboard burger and hot dog trays for an authentic feel; it’ll also be easier for everyone to eat outside as they chat away to the other guests.

Set up a condiment and topping station for your guests to make their perfect hot dog or burger including mustard, ketchup, gherkins, and fried onions. If you feel like going all out, cook up some chilli so that guests can make their own chilli hot dogs.

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Set up a Fire Pit

Everyone is impressed by a large bonfire but it’s not always practical if your garden has limited space. If your garden is on the smaller side, a fire pit is an adorable mini homage to Bonfire Night. If you’re having a more intimate gathering, set up chairs around the fire pit and provide guests with marshmallows to toast together as you share stories and enjoy the fresh November air.

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Toast Marshmallows

Whilst on the subject, if you want to provide low maintenance snacks that add a bit of fun to your party for both adults and children, toasting marshmallows are always a hit! To give your marshmallow toasting that extra flair, set up a marshmallow topping area for your guests.

You’ll want a selection of sauces – caramel and chocolate are always popular – or if you have one available, a chocolate fountain is a party favourite! Set up bowls of toppings to dip in that will stick to the sauce. Chopped hazelnuts, hundreds and thousands, shredded coconut, and crushed cornflakes are a good mix to suit different tastes.

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Keep Warm in an Inflatable Hot Tub

If you’re only hosting 4 or 6 people and you want to host a Bonfire Night party that’s a little less traditional, why not enjoy the fireworks from the warmth of an inflatable hot tub? Sitting back with a couple of close friends in the warm bubbles whilst watching fireworks light up the sky is a Bonfire Night spent in true style.

November is chilly so make sure you have towels and dressing gowns nearby so that you can wrap up as soon as you’re out of the tub.

Top tip: If you’re setting off your own fireworks, decide who will be in charge of setting off the firework display beforehand to avoid any last minute debates!

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Light Up Your Garden

When hosting an outdoor party, especially on Bonfire Night, having standout lighting is a must-have. If you prefer a subtle and sophisticated look, globe lights look amazing all year round. For those who prefer something a bit funkier with some colour, our range of light up LED furniture perfectly complements the range of colours lighting up the night sky.

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Keep Kids Occupied with Arts and Crafts

If you’ve got little ones coming to your Bonfire Night party, you’ll want to keep them entertained whilst everyone is waiting for the main firework display. Set up an arts and crafts area where kids can keep themselves occupied until the fireworks are ready. Here are a couple of firework themed arts and crafts ideas that kids are sure to love:

• Set out card, PVA glue, and different coloured glitter pots. Kids can make their own firework pictures by pouring PVA glue in patterns onto a piece of card and then pouring on glitter. If you’re doing it inside, set down a large piece of fabric underneath to collect all the escaped glitter for an easy tidy up.
• Ask guests to bring along empty toilet roll tubes and then provide glue, different coloured card, and tissue paper for little ones to make rockets. They’ll love flying their very own rocket through the air as they watch the real fireworks go off. This step by step guide shows how to make simple rockets that children can easily create with a little help from an adult.

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Make Safety a Priority

Finally, the most important Bonfire Night party idea is to ensure that everyone is kept safe throughout the night.

Provide little ones with ear buds or ear muffs to protect their sensitive ears from the loud bangs. If you’re providing sparklers for your guests, put a bucket of water nearby to put them out and ensure children are wearing gloves if handling them. If you have a pet, keep them indoors in a room with the curtains drawn and music or the TV on to try and keep them relaxed throughout the display.

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 If you have any other Bonfire Night party ideas to share, please let us know in the comments!