Beltane Fire Festival Modern-Day Celebration:

Don’t be disappointed, but the current festival doesn’t involve livestock. Run by the Beltane Fire Society, it’s a procession, beginning at the National Monument and winds counter-clockwise along a path. Leading the parade is the May Queen and the Green Man, and at its end, they light a huge bonfire. Dancing, food, drink and music ensue.

Procession Story Line:

You can sit back and watch the pageantry, or you can learn a little more about the story line to further your enjoyment. The performers enact the ritual story of the lighting of the sacred Bel Fire. The procession moves around the hill, with the May Queen at its head, accompanied by her White Women, the Green Man and the processional drummers, whose distinctive beat urge the group towards summer.

The Green Man and May Queen are interrupted by different groups who help or hinder their progress toward the end of the procession—and their fate. Once the chaotic Reds have joined up and the Green Man has been killed and reborn, the procession is complete but not yet finished. All retire to the Bower to dance, eat and commemorate the changing of the seasons as invited couples are handfasted by the May Queen.

Discover Edinburgh for Beltane Fire Festival 2020:

Take some time to walk through the Old Town of Edinburgh, which includes the medieval fortress of Edinburgh Castle. In this part of town is the Royal Mile (a long street exactly one Scots mile long), featuring Reformation buildings, narrow closes, kirks, turrets and plenty of nooks and crannies. Compare that with the neoclassical New Town with its grand Georgian Terraces. Together these parts of Edinburgh were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Beltane Fire Festival 2020 Tips:

Layer up. While Beltane is the celebration for the coming of summer, you’re not likely to get any summery weather at the end of April in Scotland. Dress for the event if you prefer, but bring a jacket in case you get cold.

Watch the pageant. You don’t need to be a believer in ancient Celtic storylines to take in the spectacle and see the story unfold. Imagine what the representations of the Green Man and May Queen meant to pastoral peoples who looked forward to the abundant time of year after a long winter.