By GlobalDetail.com reader tyron-e

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Every year, during the night of April 30th, the Beltane Fire Festival is held on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill. Based on Celtic Pagan traditions, this festival is a spectacular procession to celebrate the arrival of summer. With its fabulous and colourful costumes, music and fire torches it pulls its spectators (and performers) into its spell.

Over 15000 onlookers witness the event every year. Calton Hill overlooks Edinburgh’s historic city centre and the procession can be seen from miles away, as the fires illuminate the night sky and the music echoes over the city. It is now so popular that people travel from all over the word to be part of the extraordinary experience. The event has become a regular part of Edinburgh’s much loved and popular performance event, alongside the Fringe and Hogmanay Festivals.

Calton Hill’s existing backdrop of old buildings such as the start observatories and the acropolis-like pillars, as well as the castle further in the distance, provide a suitably impressive stage for this event. The performance starts at 9.30pm when the May Queen (symbolisaing the Earth) emerges from her winter retreat. She then, accompanied by the White Women Warriors, addresses the North, South, East and West before the Green Man (symbolizing summer growth) appears and the procession starts.

The procession takes a circular route counter-clockwise around the hill. On its way, the procession passes sites representing the elements and each performer joins the back of the procession until it eventually grows to over a hundred strong. Along the way the May Queen is challenged by the Red Men, but the warriors counter the attack and protect the Queen. The procession changes direction to symbolize the changing of the seasons and moves towards the grand final. The May Queen and the Green Man marry to symbolize the start of summer.

The May Queen then lights a big bonfire, which is mirrored by a bonfire by the Red Men. Onlookers are then invited to walk between the two fires and become – symbolically – cleansed by the fire.

The event, organized by the Beltane Fire Society, is funded through a mixture of sources. Partly made up by grants, the society finances behind the scenes equipment, however the running of the night itself is often financed by donations from the visitors or by busking in the run up to the event. The overall costs to bring the show on ye road is around GBP 10000, which also includes the clean-up after the event.

The event was first organized in 1988 and, with the exception of 2003 when the event was unexpectedly cancelled, has been on every year.

If you are interested in being part of, or finding out more about, this event, you can contact the Beltane Fire Society at:

Beltane Fire Society,
19 Leven Street,
Edinburgh
Scotland
EH3 9LH
Telephone: +44 (0)131 2285353

You can find out more about Calton Hill at GlobalDetail.com's Observing Edinburgh – Three top vantage points.

For Travel to this destination also read GlobalDetail's Ultimate Guide to no-frills airlines

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