Nightwatch
The Torchbearers and Stewards are the guardians of the procession and the elements, providing light and space in which the ritual can unfold.
Stewards occupy an important role, and are a vital link between the performers and the audience. They help to manage the crowds, protect the procession and ensure that a good time is had by all. Stewards liaise with performers, the production team and the audience, and ensure that everything runs smoothly, while still enjoying a fantastic view of the procession themselves.
Torchbearers are an important, trusted group. Dressed from head to foot in black, with blacked out faces, their hair covered, they are protected from fire and other elements.
They are keepers of the boundary between ordinary space and that of the procession. The role of the torchbearers it both to light the action and, with the Blue Men, to manage the spectators.
- Beltane Torchbearers Website (http://www NULL.torchbearers NULL.org NULL.uk/)