Latest news with #Beltane
The Independent
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
A Midsummer Night's Dream on acid: Celtic tradition comes to life at Edinburgh's Beltane Fire Festival
'Is this your first Beltane?' a teenager asks me sympathetically – with a subtle hint of an eye roll, blended with a definite note of concern, because I'm clearly lost. I've been to Edinburgh 's Calton Hill before but it did not look like this: a scene of A Midsummer Night's Dream on acid. Around 250 performers swirl around us, acting, chanting, fire dancing, drumming, or mischief making, as they weave between the monuments, re-enacting scenes of traditional Celtic lore across 10 stages and spaces. I'm in Edinburgh for the Beltane Fire Festival, a modern take on the pre-Christian Beltane, which saw ancient Celts mark the change of the season and welcome the summer every year on 30 April right through the night. May Day and maypole dancing stems from this millennia-old tradition. I detect that I am not the only lost person. I don't think the tourists who've been drawn in from the busy streets of Edinburgh below have a clue about what we're about to witness. I sit alongside visitors from France, Germany, Slovenia and the US as we wait patiently for the sun to set over Leith. Dressed-up characters with their faces painted saunter about, setting the scene, but no one performs until the sun has fully set. Darkness falls at 9.20pm exactly; primal beating of drums signals that it's go time, flames are lit by performers in formation along the National Monument of Scotland – its eight columns, based on the Acropolis in Athens, lined with flickering torches. And the show begins. Departing from the monument, a waft of white-gowned ladies-in-waiting donning floral wreaths serve the May Queen, main character of the night, who's being paraded around this hilltop park by these women in white, as well as a large troop of drummers and fire twirlers – all pursued by her future husband the Green Man. He's painted blue not green, but let us not ask too many questions. This is not midsummer, but it's certainly midsummer adjacent in belief; Beltane Fire Festival is celebrated every year on this spot by local pagans who are keeping Celtic tradition alive in Scotland, their fire society promoting the ancient calendar that includes solstices and Samhain (aka Halloween), too. I've been having a quintessentially Scottish time all week. I was driven here on board the extraordinarily comfortable Caledonian Sleeper train. As it wound around the formidable rock foundations of Edinburgh Castle, I raised a glass of early morning Irn-Bru while inhaling some porridge oats in the cafe car – totally ready for my Scottish passport. Edinburgh is awash with pre-Christian tradition masking as Christian. 'As kids we were told that egg pacing on Easter Sunday represents the stone outside Jesus' tomb rolling away,' Díarmaid McDermott, operations manager at boutique hotel 100 Princes Street, told me as I'd marched off to Arthur's Seat in search of egg-rolling families, unknowingly partaking in pagan Celtic tradition. Ten days later it feels poetic that this year's Beltane festival on Calton Hill looks back at Arthur's Seat glowing yellow, coated in heather bushes in full bloom. In ancient Celtic times this celebration took place up on Arthur's Seat before it was squashed by Georgian and Victorian hyper-Protestantism. But the Celtic traditions were too strong to stamp out and live on in Morris dancing, bonfires, May Day and May Queen contests. Beltane Fire Festival as it is today was revived in 1988 by a group of artists and musicians aiming to educate the public on 'the traditions of the Celtic lunar calendar fire festivals and their relevance to contemporary culture'. Almost 40 years ago their first audience was 50 people – this year, 6,000 attendees watched this interactive celebration. It's so interactive that guests are encouraged to wander about and see where the night takes them. 'You will get lost', says the brochure, '...and that's all part of the fun.' Ah good, it's not just me then. But I am glad when my teenage saviour, who's a Beltane veteran by all accounts, shares her map with me so I can get ahead of the crowd and nab a good view for the next dance off between the slightly feral 'reds' and austere ladies in white. To the unknowing eye this might look chaotic, but its finely tuned steps are precise, from the first drum beat at sunset until the bonfire rages at midnight. This year's theme of 'rewilding' is sewn in throughout the night with four performers donning huge papier mache fox heads, leading the processions around the hilltop. Back at my hotel, the concierge at the W Edinburgh tells me that my suite, in their restored James Craig Walk block, is where Robert Burns (the poet) and James Craig (the architect) once partied. I hope Rabbie Burns saw the fires of Beltane at least once in his life. It's right up his street. Travel essentials How to get there The Caledonian Sleeper runs between London and Edinburgh every night of the week. Seats from £74; beds from £250. Where to stay 100 Princes Street Not many hotels have their own tartan. This boutique property – that is unequivocally Scottish in design and demeanour – is so classy that it has not one but five unique tartans used throughout the award-winning hotel. Ask for a room with a view of Edinburgh Castle. W Edinburgh The sleek splendour of the W chain has adapted to its location: the new building in St James Square, shaped like a twirling ribbon (a nod to the city's textiles industry), has a 360-degree view from its rooftop W Lounge, where the new cocktail menu is themed around Scottish folklore.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Huge crowds turn out for Beltane celebrations in Glastonbury
HUNDREDS of people took to the streets of Glastonbury to celebrate Beltane, or May Day, in a colourful procession and a series of live performances. In Glastonbury, May Day celebrations, also known as Beltane, is a Pagan celebration of the start of the summer and the halfway point between the spring equinox and summer solstice. The festivities prominently feature a procession of giant red and white dragon figures, a May Pole, musicians, drummers, Morris Dancers, fire-keepers and ribbon bearers. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The dragons are said to symbolize the transition from winter to summer and are a central part of a neopagan celebration in Glastonbury that includes other traditional elements such as naming the May King and Queen. READ MORE: Large quantity of drugs seized, two people caught in possession, police say Mike Jeffries said: 'The red dragon represents summer, while the white dragon represents winter, and a battle between them is sometimes staged before the main procession.' The 2025 May Queen and May King are Thomas Irvine and Eva Margarethe. They said: 'Beltane is about fertility in every sense. A new growth, new energy, new connection, and we all saw it in motion yesterday. 'We feel so blessed to hold the roles of May Queen and May King this year. This isn't just a title to us, but a responsibility, a gift and an honour to receive this blessing from the community.'
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Kim Jong-un's tank and Knights Templar: photos of the weekend
People take part in the Beltain Celtic fire festival at Butser Ancient Farm in Hampshire. Beltain, (also known as Beltane), is an ancient Celtic celebration to mark the beginning of summer and is centred around the story of the May Queen and the Green Man, and the lighting of the Beltain bonfire, symbol of purification, healing and new life Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA Women wear the traditional Black Forest costume with the 'Bollenhut' pompom hat during a festival Photograph: Steffen Schmidt/Reuters Members of the RAF band unwind at Wellington Barracks after taking part in an overnight rehearsal for VE Day 80th anniversary procession. The UK kicks off four days of events on Monday marking 80 years since the end of the second world war in Europe Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images Zane Mathews of Keller, Texas, laughs as he holds his son, Hayes, in the third period in game seven of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche in Texas Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP Participants run across the Charles Bridge as they take part in Prague's international marathon Photograph: Michal Čížek/AFP/Getty Images Sovereignty #18, ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado, crosses the finish line to win the 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Photograph:Kim Jong-un inspects a tank factory at an undisclosed location Photograph: KCNA via KNS/AFP/Getty Images A red kite hunts in Buckinghamshire Photograph: James Manning/PA Lady Gaga performs at Copacabana Beach Photograph: Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation A pilgrim group who are members of a contemporary Templar organisation and inspired by the medieval Knights Templar order walk towards St Peter's Basilica at St Peter's Square, before the conclave to elect the next pope Photograph: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters Palestinian children and women hold out containers for donated food at a community kitchen Photograph: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Palestinian children head to a water distribution point to fill their containers amid a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip Photograph: Omar El Qattaa/AFP/Getty Images An Israeli reserve soldier takes part in a protest as mothers of soldiers call for and end to the war in Gaza Photograph: Amir Cohen/Reuters A purple sunbird perches on a flower stem in Rajasthan Photograph: Himanshu Sharma/AFP/Getty Images Firefighters extinguish burning cars after a night-time drone attack, amid the Russian invation of Ukraine Photograph: Ukrainian State Emergency Service/AFP/Getty Images
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Somerset in Pictures: Sunshine and sporting success
Not everyone likes hot days, but for our coastal resorts and visitor attractions this sunny week has been a great time to welcome visitors. They have been getting their buckets and spades out from Weston down to Minehead. Team Bath's netball players have been celebrating, festival workers are getting ready for the summer and there has been plenty of cricket action down in Taunton. Ancient traditions: Early on Thursday, the first day of May, people gathered at the Chalice Well in Glastonbury to observe Beltane celebrations, harking back to ancient Celtic pagan fertility rites. Gorgeous: Despite it being hot work, they have been setting up the teepees on the edge of Chew Valley Lake for the Fire in Your Soul Festival which will run from 4 - 6 July. The new event will feature firepits, workshops, holistic therapies, dance and poetry. Thriller: Team Bath Netball edged a close contest against London Mavericks at the weekend, coming from behind to make it 53-53 with 20 seconds remaining before Charlotte Watts secured the win (below). Cooling off: As temperatures rose this week, spots like the River Avon became popular with those able to paddle in the sunshine. High hopes: Somerset's women took on Lancashire in Taunton this week in the Metro Bank One Day Cup competition, the visitors winning the contest by seven wickets. Beautiful: What a shot. What better way to see the Somerset countryside than from a hot air balloon on a sunny evening? Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Somerset in Pictures: Swan whisperer and the races Somerset in Pictures: Bobcats and foggy mornings Somerset in Pictures: Artistic rats and beach days Somerset in Pictures: Anyone for cricket? Somerset in Pictures: Races and a royal visit Somerset in Pictures: Derby delight for Bath Somerset in Pictures: Sunrises and a lunar eclipse Somerset in pictures: Darts delight and Mr Darcy Somerset in Pictures: Blue skies, cows and Crufts Somerset in pictures: Otters, owls and EastEnders pub Somerset in Pictures: The sweet taste of victory Somerset in Pictures: Wildlife and winter swimming Somerset in Pictures: Fog and Harry Redknapp Somerset in Pictures: Snow, flood and races Somerset in pics: Fog, fundraisers and fairytales Somerset in Pictures: Tractors, rainbows and a circus Somerset in Pictures: Panto and a 100th birthday Somerset in pictures: Santa and Christmas lights Somerset in Pictures: Santa, sunsets and Pinocchio Somerset in Pictures: Snow, carnival and racing Somerset in pictures: Santas on ice and bus DJs Somerset in pictures: Hedgehogs and carnival Somerset in pictures: Tor aurora and Willow Man Somerset in Pictures: Pumpkins and stolen cheese Somerset in pictures: World records and ponies Somerset in Pictures: Mullet wigs and a giant moon Somerset in pictures: Autumn arrives in the county Somerset in pictures: Caravan racing, motorbikes and street art Somerset in pictures: Swans, scarecrows and cricket Somerset in pictures: Summer, scarecrows and film sets Somerset in pictures: A retiring lollipop lady and bus strikes Somerset in pictures: Images from across the county
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Somerset in Pictures: Pagan rituals and seaside sunshine
Not everyone likes hot days, but for our coastal resorts and visitor attractions this sunny week has been a great time to welcome have been getting their buckets and spades out from Weston down to Bath's netball players have been celebrating, festival workers are getting ready for the summer and there has been plenty of cricket action down in Taunton. Ancient traditions: Early on Thursday, the first day of May, people gathered at the Chalice Well in Glastonbury to observe Beltane celebrations, harking back to ancient Celtic pagan fertility rites. Gorgeous: Despite it being hot work, they have been setting up the teepees on the edge of Chew Valley Lake for the Fire in Your Soul Festival which will run from 4 - 6 July. The new event will feature firepits, workshops, holistic therapies, dance and poetry. Thriller: Team Bath Netball edged a close contest against London Mavericks at the weekend, coming from behind to make it 53-53 with 20 seconds remaining before Charlotte Watts secured the win (below). Cooling off: As temperatures rose this week, spots like the River Avon became popular with those able to paddle in the sunshine. High hopes: Somerset's women took on Lancashire in Taunton this week in the Metro Bank One Day Cup competition, the visitors winning the contest by seven wickets. Beautiful: What a shot. What better way to see the Somerset countryside than from a hot air balloon on a sunny evening?
