Bonfire societies, drumming groups, and marching bands from all over Sussex will be joining Rye Bonfire Society in celebrating this year’s Rye Fawkes pageant on Saturday, November 12.
The procession will start following a large signal maroon at 7:50pm from Mason Road, on the Tilling Green Estate; the route will follow Ferry Road to the Crown Inn, turn left into Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, through Landgate Arch, Hilders Cliff (East Cliff) in to High Street, The Mint, turn right into Wish Ward, Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, left down Landgate, right into Bedford Place and on to the bonfire site.
At about 8:30pm, Rye Fawkes 2016, Prince Rostislav R. Romanov III, who has strong connections with Rye and the Bonfire Society, will be chaired down by centurions from Robertsbridge Bonfire Society from Hilders Cliff down to the bonfire site ready for him to light the enormous bonfire at about 8:45pm, this will be followed by a grand fireworks display at around 9pm.
As a fitting and moving finale to this year’s display, Rye Bonfire Society will be launching ashes of two of its well loved members, John Izod and Jimper Sutton, in the last rocket. John and Jimper both sadly passed away this year, but listen carefully on the night for the sound of a couple of chuckles.
For further information on the programme, including road closures and parking, along with regular updates, please visit the website Rye Bonfire
The Rye Bonfire Society receives no financial support from public funds in staging this event, which now costs over £10,000 a year to set-up and manage. All necessary funding is raised by voluntary contributions, program sales and advertising, fund-raising events and street collections on the night. Without the support of the town’s traders, citizens and visitors, the event could not take place. If you wish the Rye Bonfire to continue as the premier social event in the district’s calendar, please give generously, but please note that only those members of Rye Bonfire Society carrying blue buckets and with official badges are authorised to collect, anybody else collecting should be reported to the police.
We are not expecting any changes to the rail timetable on the night, but to be sure, visit the Southern Rail website before travelling.
Rye & District Bonfire Society would like to stress that this is very much a family-oriented evening. Discharging of any form of fireworks and flares will not be tolerated before, during, or after the procession. The police will take action against members of the public, or visiting societies, who discharge any form of pyrotechnic in a public place.
Main image courtesy Tony Coombes Photography