Thousands gather for Beltane Fire Festival on Calton Hill in Edinburgh to welcome Summer

Thousands of revellers gathered on Calton Hill in Edinburgh last night for the launch of this year’s Beltane Fire Festival.

The event is held at the end of April each year to celebrate the end of the colder months and to welcome the start of Summer.

More than 8,000 visitors from across the world attended the arts festival to see the spectacular fire show that has become a cultural staple in the capital.

Hundreds of performers, drummers and acrobatics took part in the popular event which was led by the May Queen and her court.

Sammi Searle, Beltane Fire Society’s Chair, said: “It’s been an incredible honour to once again return to Calton Hill to light the fires of Beltane and mark the arrival of summer.

“We are so grateful to all of our creative volunteers and collaborators who have given so much of their time, skill and love to bringing this event together.

“The Beltane Fire Festival is a living, breathing entity that brings together both the community and the landscape in this modern world, and this year’s celebration has been focused on acknowledging the climate crisis and how it has already impacted seasonal cycles and natural rhythms.

“Last night’s festival was an invitation to imagine how we can come together as a community to realign those cycles and step into the future with unity and positivity.

“Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who came to celebrate with us and we hope everyone can carry this seed of optimism with them into the summer months. Happy Beltane!”

Beltane Fire Festival has been running since 1988 and is the spring and summer counterpart to Samhuinn Fire Festival, which is held at Holyrood Park on 31 October.

The events are immersive experiences which involve modern re-imaginings of ancient Celtic festivals to mark the turning seasons.

The Beltane Fire Society is a charity run by volunteers dedicated to keeping traditional Scottish skills of street theatre, music and pageantry alive.

Beltane is a Celtic word meaning “the fires of Bel” and is believed to be in reference to Belenus – the Celtic god of fire.

ENDS