Popular Sultan fireworks event to return
By Connor Steel / Photograph by Brooke Waters
ROYAL NAVY organisers have confirmed that the HMS Sultan Bonfire and Fireworks Night is returning later this month following last year’s Covid-19 enforced cancellation.
They promise a night to remember, with big bangs and stunning Sultan fireworks.
This year’s event will take place on October 28 to coincide with the half term holiday.
There will be an extra party feel, with Sultan celebrating 65 years as a centre of excellence for Royal Navy Air and Marine Engineering. It will also raise money for service charities, with thousands of visitors expected to attend following last year’s absence from the calendar.
Gates will open at 6pm on the night with firebreathers, funfairs, sparklers and other family friendly activities promised throughout the evening. Sultan’s sailors will be selling glow sticks and sweets for charity, while food and drink will be available at stalls dotted around the site to ensure the best experience possible for everybody.
The bonfire will be safely lit at approximately 7.15pm, before the fireworks begin lighting up the Gosport skyline from 8pm. This display will last for around 20 minutes, but visitors are invited to stay on the site and enjoy the activities until 10.30pm, which is when the base will close and activities are ended.
People are invited to wear masks and observe Covid-19 social distancing, but this is not a mandatory requirement at this stage. There will also be health and safety stewards to ensure that everybody can enjoy the event, but visitors are encouraged to be patient when leaving or entering the site at peak times.
Cash only tickets will be available on the gates, with visitors permitted to book online via this link immediately to secure their entry to the event through their discounted advance scheme. Tickets are also available from a number of local vendors, including Tourist Information Centre and the Tesco superstore in Gosport.
Tickets are priced at £14 for a family of four, £6 for an adult and £5 for children under 14. Children under the age of five are free to attend, whilst OAPs and disabled visitor tickets are currently priced at £5 online. No animals except assistance / guide dogs are permitted at this event.
Organisers have also pledged free parking for the event and have stated their desire to help everybody, but this is limited and likely to be on a ‘first-come, first served basis’. Visitors are asked to respect the access needs of everybody if they are using side roads and to be mindful of moving traffic down Military Road in particular. This is a message for both drivers and pedestrian visitors to the site.
As in 2019, the Globe has accepted an invitation to attend and will be writing a report on the event to be published on this website with photographs / videos if technology allows.
