The Beltane Fire Festival of Edinburgh

The Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, celebrates the welcoming of summer, the fertility of the land and the death of winter. On April 30, the capital of Scotland will be a night of fire and tradition welcoming locals and tourists from all over.

Beginning as an ancient tradition, villagers lit large bonfires, danced around and walked their livestock around the fires to cleanse them before letting them into the fields. The local tradition was essentially created to bless land, livestock and look forward to a prosperous summer harvest ahead.

© Ross Rankin | Dreamstime

Revived in 1988, the Beltane Fire Society restored the ancient tradition into a modern and memorable event. The festival is now more of a spectacle than ever with torches being lit at sunset with a dance performance to follow. Acrobats and performers act out the welcoming of Queen May and the death of The Green Man, who symbolizes winter.

The celebration and party rage all night from 8:00 p.m. to early morning all for a good cause. The Beltane Society is a non-profit charity organization, selling from $8–10.Buy tickets here.