On Sunday 31st October, the Beltane Fire Society will bring back its renowned Samhuinn celebration to Edinburgh with their traditional parade through the city streets. Samhuinn is the society’s modern twist on an ancient Celtic celebration of the turning seasons and will mark the return of their live events following their move to celebrate online last year during the pandemic. Attendance will be by registration through Citizen Ticket, with full details revealed to those who have registered nearer the time.
The parade brings together a host of volunteer performers with fire-play, drumming, puppets and wild costumes to the city centre, marking the transition of Summer into Winter. Witnesses of the ritual can expect to see a cavalcade of characters representing Summer and Winter, led by the mysterious Celtic figure of the Cailleach, a Celtic representation of the goddess, or Divine Hag, who ultimately ushers in the colder months.
“Last year was a challenging year for our charity and the events sector. We’re excited to mark a return to our traditional roots of journeying through Edinburgh, and we are thankful both to our volunteers for their hard work and the support from the City of Edinburgh Council, our suppliers and the responsible authorities in ensuring we can go ahead with our celebrations. This year’s message is about the coming together of Community and the resilience that that brings which we feel is important to remember after the year we have had.” Russell McMahon, Event Coordinator.
The Beltane Fire Society is a registered Scottish charity run by volunteers, dedicated to keeping the ancient Celtic calendar alive and sharing skills of street theatre, costume-making, folklore, music and immersive performance. The charity relies on donations from their live events, and there is a suggested £5 donation to attend – or whatever you can afford.
The Samhuinn Fire Festival has been held in Edinburgh since 1995. Its Summer counterpart, Beltane, takes place on Calton Hill on the last day of April each year, and has been running since 1988. The festival celebrates one of the four Celtic quarter day festivals and marks the end of Summer and beginning of Winter.