An amateur film recording residents from the village of Skinningrove working to prepare for and hold their annual Bonfire Night celebrations in 1997. The theme for that year’s event was Dracula and a large bonfire structure of the character is seen being built on the beach. Other members of the community also feature hanging homemade bats along Marine Terrace alongside colourful lanterns. On Bonfire Night itself large crowds gather to watch a massive fireworks display after which Dracula is...

An amateur film recording residents from the village of Skinningrove working to prepare for and hold their annual Bonfire Night celebrations in 1997. The theme for that year’s event was Dracula and a large bonfire structure of the character is seen being built on the beach. Other members of the community also feature hanging homemade bats along Marine Terrace alongside colourful lanterns. On Bonfire Night itself large crowds gather to watch a massive fireworks display after which Dracula is set alight. The film ends on the following morning and debris being cleared away. On the beach beside Skinningrove Beck a large bonfire structure in the shape of Dracula featuring long arms and hands. Scaffolding has been erected around the head on which several people are working and gravestones made from wooden pallets being placed in front of the structure. Nearby Doff Pollard and a second woman work to install lighting near to Marine Terrace while from poles hang several colourful lanterns. Outside a wooden building on Beach Road a woman and her children unload homemade bats from their car. Inside a man sits at a table doing work, around him several large wooden and metal objects that will form part of the bonfire event. Back outside the woman watches over a small girl and young man as they paint an image of a bat onto a large metal frame. The homemade bats now hang from several houses as well as poles along Marine Terrace, beside some of them colourful lanterns. On the Dracula sculpture people at work with red eyes and fangs added to the face. The metal frame that features the image of the bat is carried and hung from poles next to Dracula. [Blank] As work continues on the Dracula structure, a group of children stand along Marine Terrace watching. A girl in a pink coat stands and poses in front of the edifice with the Skinningrove Beck between her and it. Further along the beach two people hammering stakes into the ground. At night a large puppet makes its way along the beach passing several illuminations. Other puppets appear to stand beside the Dracula structure as spooky music begins to play. The fireworks display begins with Dracula’s eyes lighting up and fireworks shooting off him. A crowd watches from a safe distance as the bat attached to the metal frame is lit and burns brightly while nearby a small cross burns in front of Dracula. With the fireworks over the Dracula structure is set alight and burns intensely all watched by a large crowd. The film ends on the following morning with two people on the beach clearing away debris around the still smouldering remains of Dracula.