As part of our 30th celebrations, we are very excited to unveil a new Beltane Fire Society photo archive, which you can find at: photos.beltane.org

In it, you will find photos from Beltane, Samhuinn and other BFS events going all the way back to 2008. As well as photos of the festivals themselves, it also features albums of rehearsals, preparations and walk-throughs – offering a chance for a trip down memory lane.

View Photo Archive

Putting the Fire in Beltane Fire Festival

To celebrate these memories, we are bringing you a series of photo essays that highlight different aspects of our festival; a chance to visually tell our story. Click on the first photo for a descriptive slideshow about the fire of Beltane – from lighting the Neid fire, through the fire arch, fire toys, fire puppets and ending, of course, in the Beltane bonfire.

Beltane means ‘bright fire’, and that fire is the star of our festival. | Copyright Ove Hanson for BFS. All rights reserved.

First, the Neid Fire is lit, using the traditional friction method. | Photo by Daniel Rannoch for BFS. All rights reserved.

This is the neid fire – from which all other fire for our festival must be lit. | Copyright Japser Schwartz for BFS. All rights reserved.

Torchbearers transport the flame and light the way. | Copyright Martin McCarthy for BFS. All rights reserved

We use fire sculptures to represent the story of the changing seasons. | Copyright Mark Taylor for BFS. All rights reserved.

And the procession passes through a huge arch of fire… | Copyright Simon Crofts for BFS. All rights reserved.

…cleansing and shedding winter forms. | Copyright Mark Taylor for BFS. All rights reserved.

Each year our fire festival finds new ways to play with fire… | Copyright Martin McCarthy for BFS. All rights reserved.

From Fire Dancers… | Copyright Danny Williams for BFS. All rights reserved.

Fire Spinners… | for BFS. All rights reserved.

Fire poi… | Copyright Laura Wallace for BFS. All rights reserved.

Fire hoop… | Copyright Bleu Hope for BFS. All rights reserved.

To a fire rope… | Copyright Ellen Duffy for BFS. All rights reserved.

And huge puppets like this fire-breathing dragon from 2014, ‘The Guvnor’. Copyright James Illing for BFS. All rights reserved.

As ever, the Reds charge the procession bearing fire brands…. | Copyright Neil Hodgins for BFS. All rights reserved.

…and after our story has played out, the May Queen and Green Man light the ‘Beltane’ bonfire… | Copyright Ellen Duffy for BFS. All rights reserved.

…which burns bright into the night. Copyright Felix_Hartsuiker for BFS. All rights reserved.

Beltane Fire Festival 2017 is happening on Calton Hill on Sunday 30 April. Tickets are on sale now from Tickets Scotland!