Beltane Fire Festival
About This Event
The Welcoming of Summer in a Blaze of Glory
On the final eve of April, Calton Hill becomes an otherworldly Celtic realm as thousands gather for the Beltane Fire Festival. Reinterpreting the ancient Gaelic May Day festival, this community-driven spectacle welcomes the onset of summer and the blossoming of life.
The May Queen and the Green Man
Guided by the Neithan piper, the May Queen leads an ethereal cavalcade across the hill, confronting chaotic red beasties and fire-dancers. The symbolic death of the Green Man and his rebirth as the consort of summer culminates in the lighting of the monumental Beltane bonfire against the silhouetted pillars of the National Monument.
An Unmatched Sensory Pilgrimage
The hypnotic pulse of over a hundred drums reverberates across the city skyline, making Beltane one of the most visually stunning and spiritually intoxicating night festivals in Europe.
Venue & Location
Edinburgh City Centre