Experience the Fire
Excited about the event?! We are! Here are our suggestions how you can fully experience this spectacular event! If you want to be in Edinburgh for the Beltane Fire Festival, we highly recommend to secure accommodation ahead of time. The city gets super full so we recommend staying at one of our Macbackpackers hostels in the city centre. Castle Rock, High Street and the Royal Mile are all conveniently located near Calton Hill. Each has their own unique vibe so its easy to choose one that best suits your needs.
Now to attend the bonfire of the festival you must buy a ticket. These generally sell out so get your entry ticket now. If tickets do not sell out before the festival, a limited amount are sold from a ticket office on Carriage Drive. If you manage to secure a ticket, Calton Hill will be a spectacle!
What Happens at Beltane?
Fire sculptures and torches will lead you towards the huge bonfire on the hill top. There will be loud drumming, pyrotechnics and costumed performers in the crowd. The bonfire ceremony officially kicks off by lighting the sacred Neid fire using an ancient Beltane custom. From there the torchbearers carrying the Neid fire light remaining torches and sculptures to symbolize the unification of the community. It’s followed by the ritual of warding off harm. With the pinnacle of the celebrations moving towards the Fire Arch to represent the moment May Queen and the Green Man must give up a part of themselves to enter the human realm for rebirth. After a vivid performance the bonfire is lit to mark the birth of summer.