Your Bonfire Boyes and Belles are delighted to announce our next annual Bonfire Celebrations will  be held on Saturday 19th September. Mayfield Bonfire Society has held a celebration almost every year for nearly a century, except during times of war, typhoid and Covid. At over a mile long, with 5,000 burning torches, the Mayfield procession is believed to be the longest in Sussex, other than the Lewes Grand United Procession on 5th November. Thousands of people flock to the village each year to take part in the carnival and watch this spectacular event.

Visiting Societies can download their joining instructions and order of procession below.

ROAD CLOSURES. AND PARKING

As usual, most roads in the village will be closed to all vehicles. Road Closures begin at 5:45pm  and affect Tunbridge Wells Road, High Street, Fletching Street (down to Alexandra Terrace junction), East Street (to Sandy Lane junction), The Avenue, and Station Road (including the junction with Stone Cross and Love Lane). Some roads will be opened to traffic once the procession has passed, but the High Street and parts of Tunbridge Wells Road will remain closed until 11.30pm, or until it is safe to open them.

Please respect the Barrier Marshals as most of them are volunteers giving up their time for this fantastic community event. This is an official Road Closure Order and if contravened may result in prosecution by the Police.

We are asking residents and visitors to please observe the parking restrictions in order to allow unobstructed processions and to avoid damage to parked vehicles. Please do not park anywhere on the procession routes (see map). We cannot accept responsibility for any damage to vehicles or property left on the procession route.

For visitors, parking will be possible along one side of the Tunbridge Wells road, and this road will become one-way, heading away from the village, from 6pm.

CARNIVAL TIMETABLE

MUSIC 6:00pm. Enjoy music from Mayfield Band and refreshments in the High Street. The Bonfire Society Bar and Merchandise Stall open selling drinks and fun children’s torches, badges and souvenir programmes.

COMMEMORATION 6.45pm. The evening begins with a service to remember the dead at the War Memorial, where a wreath will be laid accompanied by a short Eulogy, followed by a minute’s silence and lighting of the fiery Poppies.

PROCESSIONS:

FIRST PROCESSION 7.15pm. Forms up along Station Road (Bands form up in the top of West Street), lights up at the Horse trough, then proceeds up the High Street, down Fletching Street, and stops at the Rose & Crown.

SECOND PROCESSION 8.15pm. Leaves the Rose and Crown, up Fletching Street, down the High Street, along Station Road to beyond Old Lane, and then turns on itself and returns up Station Road to stop just before the Horse trough. Vehicles in the procession will continue to the junction with Love Lane and turn there.

GRAND PROCESSION 9.15pm. Lights up at the Horse trough, proceeds up the High Street and around to the gates of Court Meadow where it de-torches.

BONFIRE 9.45pm: The procession will pass the Court Meadow gates and visiting societies will continue to the fire site for Bonfire Prayers and lighting of the Bonfire, which we anticipate will be around 9.45pm.

FIREWORKS 10pm. The grand fireworks display will commence once the Bonfire has been lit, around 10pm. Please note no fireworks are permitted by members of the public at our event. 

We look forward to seeing you at another spectacular bonfire celebration!.

INFORMATION FOR VISITING SOCIETIES

Order of Procession

Joining Instructions for Visiting Societies