Glowing bright fires, the pounding of drums, and a cavalcade of characters emerge onto Calton Hill to bring about the end of the long nights…
It must be time for the Beltane Fire Festival!
Beltane Fire Festival is a living, breathing re-interpretation and modernisation of an ancient Iron Age Celtic ritual and is the largest of its kind, bringing people from all over the world to join and revel in the birth of the Summer and the fertility of the land since 1988!
Join us for an immersive Celtic experience, more spectacular and expansive than ever before! In our unique re-telling of the beautiful traditional stories of The Procession of May Queen and The Death and Re-birth of The Green Man, you’ll be surrounded by fire-play, acrobatics, drummers, dancers, clowns, musicians, actors, puppeteers, artists, poets, crafters, curious and mysterious creatures, and even…cats?
With a blurring between the lines of audience and performer, we invite you to come together to create a truly glorious and memorable evening.
This year, on 30th April, Beltane Fire Festival celebrates the turning of the wheel and the beginning of Summer with our long-standing community and new observers alike in this cultural staple of Edinburgh. All are welcome!
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
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Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!Opening this year’s Festival on Friday 3 May will be Daniel Docherty and Martyn MacDonald whose band VALTOS has taken the trad and electronic music world by storm.
READ MOREJoin us on 3rd May at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in celebration to launch FISHING, our May exhibition with an early evening session of songs from harmony singers Tripple.
READ MOREFISHING is a modern exploration of contemporary identities and heritage from artist Stephanïe Vandëm at the Scottish Storytelling Centre from 3rd May!
READ MOREAlice Howe & Freebo present a unique study in contrasts, bringing together a rising voice in Americana music and a venerable rock, folk, and blues icon.
READ MOREThrough powerful and playful storytelling and traditional song, Shona Cowie, Neil Sutcliffe and dramaturg Liam Hurley explore the layers of history on which we stand today!
READ MOREDon't miss Martin Simpson, one of the finest ever acoustic and slide guitar players, and a fine banjo-picker to boot, when he comes to the Traverse Theatre as part of Tradfest!
READ MOREA chance to hear from artist Stephanïe Vandëm, whose exhibition FISHING is showing at the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of Tradfest!
READ MOREEdinburgh Youth Gaitherin is back, providing an exciting opportunity for young musicians aged between 13 and 18, keen to develop your instrument skills.
READ MOREA mesmerising glimpse into the landscapes, folktales and songs that inspired one of Scotland's great early collectors of traditional arts.
READ MOREJoin us at Scottish Storytelling Centre on 5th May for a fun morning of mask decoration, crafting and face painting ahead of the May Day Parade!
READ MOREArtists, performers and culture workers of all kinds are called to join Tradfest musicians and mummers on the Edinburgh and Lothians May Day procession.
READ MOREThis delightful Beltane Fire Society tradition allows parents to share in the magic of the Beltane story with their little ones through storytelling, face painting and arts & crafts.
READ MORESinger, harpist and composer Rachel Newton draws on poems and ballads that are hundreds of years old to create a rich sound that is ambitious, original and unique.
READ MOREDon't miss gorgeously multilayered Scandi tones and textures from Nordic Fiddlers Bloc at the Traverse Theatre as part of Tradfest!
READ MOREJoin Susi Briggs for stories in the cosy Storytelling Court to celebrate the launch of her new book Yum, illustrated by Charlotte Brayley and published by Foggie Toddle Books.
READ MOREWe are delighted to welcome Simon Bradley, one of Scotland’s master musicians, to Edinburgh Tradfest and his equally-accomplished band members Anna-Wendy Stevenson and Michael Bryan!
READ MORECome along to a free afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories in the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 7nd May!
READ MOREWelsh storyteller Milly Jackdaw presents a fusion of traditional storytelling, physical theatre, music and ceremony in this solo performance based on the life of Myrddin.
READ MOREWinner of the 2023 Christian Raphael Prize, Frankie Archer has exploded onto the electrofolk scene with music that transcends stereotypes. Catch her at the Traverse Theatre as part of Tradfest!
READ MOREThis event opens a window on the life and work of Emily Dickinson and the passions and preoccupations which she poured into her writing.
READ MOREOne of Scotland’s most exciting innovators, Malin Lewis melds west coast tradition with a newly invented, self-made bagpipe!
READ MORENorman&Corrie, the Scottish musical duo bring beautiful interpretations of old music that are genuinely contemporary.
READ MOREWelcome to an eclectic night of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, post-folk music, and physical artistry at the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of Tradfest.
READ MORERenowned Gaelic and Scots singer and fiddler, Evie Waddell, plays the Traverse 2 on 10th May as part of Tradfest!
READ MOREJoin us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for a very special evening of music from two of Finland’s most visionary musicians!
READ MORETogether, Simon Thoumire and Dave Milligan create dazzling, quirky arrangements of reels, jigs, strathspeys, and airs from their native Scottish tradition, and beyond.
READ MOREThis workshop with Svend-Erik Engh is for musicians who want to be better storytellers on stage!
READ MOREJoin mad auld Auntie Bee and her long-suffering niece Bonnie McRee on a tour of Auld Reekie, past and present, real and imagined, without leaving the cosy Storytelling Court!
READ MOREBy reimagining old tales from Lithuania and around the world, storyteller Daiva Ivanauskaitė and musician Gaynor Barradell explore the silence between generations.
READ MORECome with family and friends to dance Scottish dances and sing well-known songs with the Minnow Ceilidh Band at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 12th May!
READ MOREClare Sands is a sixth generation fiddler and bilingual singer from Cork, weaving traditional roots with contemporary sounds and influences, embodying a fearless warrior-like spirit!
READ MOREBerwickshire Coastal Arts bring you a reflection of what it means to live, and want to live, in a coastal community.
READ MOREEdinburgh Tradfest & The Soundhouse Organisation presents Julie Fowlis at the Assembly Rooms on Monday 13th May!
READ MOREJoin The White Heather Ceilidh Club for a bonnie (and wild!) evening of Scottish Ceilidh Dancing in the heart of Edinburgh!
READ MOREJoin us in the wee hours in The Comedy Attic in Edinburgh, where every weekend we deliver nights packed full of unadulterated comedy mayhem!
READ MORECome along to the Costume Society Scotland's season of varied talks on fashion, costume, textiles, accessories and related subjects between between October and April at Augustine United Church!
READ MOREThe Joke Gym ia a stand-up comedy night featuring fresh material from new and established acts, hosted by Julia Sutherland or Viv Gee, at Leith Depot!
READ MOREActor, writer and tour guide Alex Staniforth invents a horror story every night. You decide what the characters do, find and sometimes - yes sometimes - even love!
READ MORECome and experience Scottish dance the way its meant to be every Tuesday at the Edinburgh Ceilidh Club in Summerhall!
READ MORETalk about doing what it says on the tin! Here you go a carload of simply the best comics on the contemporary Scottish circuit.
READ MORECome and experience Scottish dance the way its meant to be every month at the Edinburgh Ceilidh Club at the Assembly Roxy!
READ MORELet your hair down at the end of the week with fabulous Friday fun at The Stand Comedy Club Edinburgh!
READ MORE