HARLOW’S skyline was once again lit up as thousands of people came together to enjoy the annual Bonfire and Fireworks Night event at the Town Park.

Over 20,000 attended Sunday’s (4 November 2018) display and were treated to a fantastic evening of music and entertainment at the Playhouse Stage before the bonfire was lit and the fireworks kicked off.

The night’s celebrations began at 6pm with host Fanny Galore leading the proceedings. Performances on the evening included The Pauline Quirke Academy, Hip Hop Pop, the CM Singers, 24K Bruno and Richard Munday from the Playhouse’s forthcoming pantomime, Aladdin. The Chair of Harlow Council, Councillor Maggie Hulcoop, lit the bonfire at 6.45pm and a spectacular fireworks display followed at 7pm which was accompanied by a live DJ set from Sam Londt.

Public donations for the Chair of the Council’s chosen charities – Streets2Homes and the Dolphin Children’s Ward at Princess Alexandra Hospital – totalled just over £400, which will be split between the two.

The annual event has been running for over 30 plus years and is organised by Harlow Council with support from Great Parndon Community Association. It continues to be one the biggest events of its kind in the area and is something Harlow is very proud of.

Organised public displays like this mean that many local families are able to celebrate the occasion together in safety. Every year we receive positive feedback from local families who attend the event and this year has been no different.

We pride ourselves on ensuring we listen to all feedback so we can continue making improvements to future events, and will again be looking at how we can make the event even better for everyone.

Events like this can’t happen without the hard work and commitment of Council staff, stewards, volunteers and Great Parndon Community Association. We want to say thank you to everyone involved for all their efforts and putting together a great event for local families yet again.