To celebrate Bonfire Night, celebrations in Wimbledon Park took place on the evening of Friday 4th November, providing the perfect opportunity for families and friends to come together and enjoy the occasion, with a night filled with perfect soundtracks, hair-raising rides, flavoursome food, and of course, spectacular fireworks.
With gates opening at 5.15, guests were able to make use of the thrilling rides and stalls at the funfair, with there being something to enjoy for people of all ages. The bumper cars proved popular with teenagers and older kids, as well as the terrifying spinning wheel, twisting anyone who dared to go on it a full 360 degrees in every direction possible. Though I, and many others, spent most of our time on the ride screaming for it to come to an end, as well as spending 15 minutes in the aftermath attempting to regain the ability to walk in a straight line, it was certainly worthwhile, despite the momentary fear it induced.
As well as that, there were numerous food stalls as you walked into the site. It didn’t take a moment to realise this upon entering, though, as the sweet and savoury smells wafted across the park before the stalls themselves were even visible. The popularity of the food was clear to anyone- owing to the huge queues stretching out across the park. There was a wide range of choices, with burger and hot dog vans, as well as huts selling traditional German sausages and fries. For those with a sweet tooth, there was a huge selection of stalls to choose from; doughnuts, churros, crepes and pick n mix sweets were all on offer, as well as hot chocolate to keep your hands warm during the fireworks.
The first of the two displays set off to a mesmerizing start at 6.15, with the crackles and bangs of the display accompanied by upbeat tracks, including classics from the 2010s decade, such as ‘Shut up and Dance’ (by Walk the Moon) and ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ (by One Direction), to accompany the theme of ‘feel good/pop music’. All of this, as well as the gasps of awe from young children, and the screams from those still on the rides, contributed to an unforgettable atmosphere. The exhibition lasted 20 minutes, and as it concluded, new visitors started arriving in order to enjoy the food and rides in preparation for the second show at 8.30, with the musical theme of this display being ‘Kings and Queens’ to commemorate the recent passing of the Queen.
Despite the natural darkness of the cold, November night, the sky was illuminated by the vibrant lights of the funfair rides and the vivid flickers of glow sticks and bangles. The low temperatures outside were masked by the waves of heat coming from the food stalls, as well as the natural body warmth generated by the large community of people.
Ava Skeete and Mia Koleczek, who were both fortunate enough to have visited the fireworks, spoke about their experience. Skeete said: “It was a great way to be spending bonfire night! There were so many rides and a range of food stalls serving snacks likes crepes and hot chocolate. The fireworks show was also incredible; the best I’ve ever seen from Wimbledon Park so far!”
The enjoyment of the night was clearly widespread, with Koleczek said: “It was lovely to celebrate as a community again after the pandemic. The fireworks were fantastic, and the rides really made the night worthwhile. I am happy to say I will return again.”
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