Hastings Bonfire Parade 2007

It was a warm autumn evening when we started to drum near the far end of Hastings seafront. Thick crowds had gathered along the pavements on both sides of the road, and the town was out in force. Children played with glowsticks, adults ate take aways, and all around us performers in various costumes lined up as the procession was forming.

Suddenly a load of runners came pounding down the road, all proudly carrying flaming torches above their heads. They shot past the crowds, and all heads turned to watch as they ran up the cliffs to set the beacon at the top of it alight. All we could see from below were tiny dark figures, and a rapidly growing fire waving it's flames into the night.

The procession began after the runners returned, and it took a long time for all the groups to get onto the road. There were many bonfire societies, all bearing flaming torches which looked good up close, but spectacular when seen en mass from a distance. There were also a fire eater, a couple of other bands, some dancers, and other acts we couldn't see on account of being in it ourselves.

The first road we went up was the one that leads to Ore, and once again the pavements were overflowing with happy onlookers, cheering and waving glowsticks. We stopped for a minute at the top, while the traffic was held up for us, then crossed and came down the high street. One of the groups in front of us had lit a red flare which turned the air and marchers all around it red too, and as we marched down the hill towards it, it looked like the route into hell.

After taking in the rest of the seafront and the town, we wound up on the beach near the bonfire. It was huge, and giving out masses of heat. All the performers were allowed inside the fire area, but the public were only allowed to the edge of the beach. The firework display was fantastic. Things banged and fizzed, spun and whizzed, or shot across the sky and exploded in gigantic patters, and all the time a steady fallout of cardboard pieces was landing on our drums.

There was a lull for a while after the last one exploded, but then the effigy of Guy Fawkes head released more fireworks, for another stunning display, before the head itself exploded. After that the evening was over, but we are looking forward to coming back next year.