Beltane Fire Festival
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+44 131 473 2000Description:
The Beltane Fire Festival is held on Calton Hill on April 30th every year, is a Gaelic, neo-pagan fertility ceremony meant to mark the beginning of summer. It is an enthralling evening filled with bonfires, striking body paint and incredible performances from dancers and acrobats - an event like no other!The evening typically begins at 9:30 p.m. with the emergence of the May Queen from the Acropolis with her White Women. Together with the Green Man and his minions the red men, they process around the hill in a march that celebrates each of the four elements. After "catching" the May Queen, the Green Man is subjected to a symbolic death, but is resurrected by her, who marries him. As the May Queen returns to her bower, the celebrations continue through the night.
The festival is run by the Beltane Fire Society, a registered charity. Who needs the Edinburgh Festival Fringe when you have this?!
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