As soon as the nights start coming in earlier and lasting for longer, the people of the United Kingdom love to start setting off some fireworks. Never mind the fact that this can be traumatic and terrifying for the likes of dogs, horses and cattle; people want to make things go bang, so they do.
If you want to be a little bit more conscious of the various wildlife and family pets that live in and around Guildford, however, you can instead look to go to an officially organised firework display. It just so happens that the Guildford Lions Club is organising one for 2025 that might be ideal for you.
About the Lions Club
If you read ‘Guildford Lions’ and assumed that it was maybe a rugby league team based in the town, you’re unlikely to be on your own. In fact, the first point made on the organisation’s ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page states, “Lions have nothing to do with rugby.” It is also quick to point out that it isn’t a men-only organisation, nor does it have any political or religious involvement. Instead, the Lions Club is a group of men and women that have been coming together to make a difference to their local society since 1917, allowing people to put something back into the community for more than 100 years.
Although we are specifically looking at the Guildford Lions Club here, it is worth pointing out that it is part of a much bigger organisation. In fact, the Lions Club as a society has more than 1.35 million members, who are based across in excess of 46,000 clubs in 206 countries around the world. The Guildford Lions branch was formed in 1967, with the aim being to make a difference to the Guildford community in general. Everyone is a volunteer, meeting at the Waterside Centre in the town in order to offer a focus on local issues, whilst occasionally also getting involved as part of Lions International from time to time.
The Fireworks Spectacular
In spite of the fact that the Guildford Lions have suffered financially, thanks to both a reduction in the financial donations made by sponsors and the increase in costs that have hit everyone in recent years, the organisation is still putting on its Fireworks Spectacular this year. The date that it will be occurring is Saturday the eighth of November, when the gates will open at 5pm and the fireworks themselves will be going off at 8.30pm.
The Hired Guns
Between 6pm and the time of the first firework, there will also be live music from The Hired Guns, who will be playing music from the following artists:
- Taylor Swift
- George Ezra
- Kings of Leon
- The Killers
Obviously, that list is far from exhaustive, but it gives you a sense of the kind of things you can expect to hear from the band on the night. The supergroup is made up of members who have played all over the world, accompanying some of the best-known artists around.
Tickets
If this sounds like the kind of thing that you can get on board with, then you can head along to Stoke Park in Guildford on the eighth of November in order to enjoy everything that’s on offer. The tickets cost £15, whilst anyone buying them before the ninth of October can get an early bird price of £12. Those under the age of 16 go free when attending with an adult.
More Than Just Fireworks
As you will almost certainly have gathered by reading the list of musicians that The Hired Guns will be performing the works of in the night, the Guildford Lions Firework Fiesta is about so much more than just a fireworks display. There are numerous different fully licensed bars that will be in operation throughout the evening, for example, meaning that you can enjoy a drink of the likes of mulled wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages as you see fit. There are also a wealth of different outlets selling hot and cold food, which includes both vegetarian and vegan options.
There is also a Children’s Entertainment area, should you be going along with little ones and wondering whether they will be able to be kept busy. It includes the opportunity to meet up with, for example, an LED juggler as well as two LED walkabout characters, which are sure to delight as well as entertain. A face painter will be in place, as will numerous different fairground rides specifically aimed at younger members of the audience. If all else fails, there will be the opportunity to buy toys that glow in the dark, which will doubtless be enough to please even the toughest of audiences.
An All-Ticket Event
One of the key things that those hoping to attend the evening should bear in mind is the fact that it will be an all-ticket event. Not only that, but tickets will not be sold on the night, so if you’re hoping to get along, then you need to make sure that you’ve bought your tickets for the evening in advance. The ticket price has gone up compared to previous years, which is down to the drop-off in donations from sponsors as well as an increase in operating costs, but the price now includes the booking fee. This means that the price has only actually gone up by £1.50.
The money raised isn’t purely going towards operating costs, though. The Lions Club raises money for a charity each time it hosts the event, as well as putting some money towards its own Welfare Fund. This year, the chosen charity is Fountain Centre, which is an independent charity that supports both cancer patients and their loved ones from the point of diagnosis onwards. If you would love to attend but are concerned that you can’t afford it, the Lions Club works with social services in order to identify deserving families, reserving 250 tickets to allow people to come along and enjoy the event.