Welcome to the Samhuinn Fire Festival 2025!
Whether you’re someone who’s looking on curiously, or a regular volunteer – we’re delighted to introduce you to the different performance and production groups who will be running this festival!
We’re excited to offer the opportunity for you to get involved and contribute to the festival as a volunteer. See which group calls to you! There are many opportunities to try news things such as costuming, character, production, handling crowds, dancing and many more!
Below you’ll find all the information you need to apply for your desired group and be part of our celebration!
Not sure how things work? Email the groups that sound fun/interesting and they’ll be able to share more about what they’re up to, and guide you to how to apply to join in with them if you want to.
The Open Meeting for the 2025 Samhuinn Fire Festival will be held on Saturday August 30th at Methodist Hall Nicholson Square Edinburgh between 2pm and 5pm. If you are new to the society, we invite you to join us at 1.15pm for a welcome talk. We will also have a newbie table for any questions after the main meeting. Please do come and see hello! After the meeting, we will be heading over to OX184 on the Cowgate from 4.30pm for a more social occasion. We look forward to seeing you there!
Please note: where organisers mention whether a group is child-friendly or not, this refers to whether parents are able to bring their children along to practice in order to increase accessibility to parents. Children are not able to perform in any capacity and parents will be responsible for them throughout the practice.
Introducing the Groups:
Open Groups:
Bat Hearth (Bath)
Group Organisers: Charlie Farley and Sarah Barr – BatHearthBath@beltane.org
Hearth is Samhuinn’s home on the hill, and we’re all about tents, tea (and bats!). We provide space for our groups to store cloaks, food, and drums during the festival, along with a cup of tea and a space to rest in at the end of the night.
We’re looking for five people who’ve done at least a couple of BFS festivals before, and are up for chill times making masks and props, learning about bats, pitching some tents, and holding Hearth space for the festival.
If we have time, we’ll also do bat-themed storytelling and audience interaction work.
We need group members who are up for helping to share tasks, and can commit to attending the festival, the build day on 30th October AND/OR the derig day on 1st November.
We’re a project, because we won’t be ‘performing’ on the night, we’ll be holding space (with some storytelling and witness interaction). Participating in this project will provide members with practical experience and skills to run their own Bower/Hearth group in future years.
Staycation in Edinburgh on Saturday 4th October.
Access: We’re not a child-friendly group, as the warehouse is dangerous for kids. Note that the warehouse bathrooms are up a steep flight of stairs, and some of our activities will involve manual handling. But, we’ll be static on the night, and there’s plenty to do without doing heavy lifting. Talk to us about access needs, and we’ll do our best to accommodate them!
Open Practices:
Thursday 4th September, 7-9pm
and
Saturday 6th September, 11am-2pm
Both in Beltonia, 16 East Cromwell Street, Leith, EH6 6HD
Closed Practices: Thursdays, 7-9 (optional) and Saturdays, 11-2 (required), in Beltonia
Bruadar
Group Organisers: Chrisalis and Giullia Lorenz – bruadar@beltane.org
A nice warm fiery dream, or an all consuming blaze of a nightmare, Bruadar is the illusion of reality, the reflection of life itself, that which calms us and haunts us from the beginning until the end of time.
Bruadar is the realm of gnosis, the gateway between the mundane and the divine, the place where everything and nothing exists all at once. When we cross that bridge into our inner world, there’s no turning back; we witness our core truths and can never again return to ignorance. We choose to consciously dive deep into our own fears and emerge forever changed. Are you ready to wake up?
We are searching for those who already dance with fire to help us create a transformational space on Samhuinn night, allowing us to grow as humans and as consciousness.
Our open practices will be:
Monday 1st – 18:00 to 20:00
Wednesday 3rd – 19:00 to 21:00
@ the Meadows Pavilion
Low Commitment:
We will have one mandatory practice a week, Thursdays from 18pm to 21pm at the Meadows, plus one independent practice day for flow; we intend to make new fire props for the night, so any and all information/experience about it is welcome.
Our weekend away is planned for the first weekend of October: 3rd, 4th and 5th
Group contributions: around £40 to £50 due to Kevlar and other elements costs.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Bog Point
Group Organisers: Audric Vigier, Lu Jiminez Martinez, Stew Wilson – bogpoint@beltane.org
Boglands are open gates between the worlds, wells for divine offerings and sacrifices. They keep records of history in preserved bodies and artefacts, holding tales from before language among the mummies and the creatures. We are the embodiment of these sacred spaces, monsters of the great bog that is the transition between Summer and Winter.
As a group, our focus is on character work, costuming, and use of sound to convey feeling without words. As a low commitment group we practice once a week, though we offer the chance to get together at other times to make the costumes that manifest the creatures of the bogs.
In the bog everyone is welcome no matter their skills or experience. Moreover, we want to make sure that performing is accessible for those with disabilities, chronic illnesses and care responsibilities. Please let us know if you have any accessibility needs that we should know about before attending an open practice.
Commitment: We are a low commitment group, with one 2-hour rehearsal a week
Contribution: approx. £30
Open Practices:
* Sunday August 31st 14:00-16:00
* Sunday September 7th 14:00-16:00
* Wednesday September 10th 19:00-21:00
All on the Meadows, here.
Our closed practices are on Sundays, 14:00-16:00. There is also an optional additional costuming/brainstorming session held every Wednesday evening.
We will have a staycation on the 27th/28th of September
Dance of the Falling Light
Group Organisers: Marieke & Talia – danceofthefallinglight@beltane.org
Each year when the shadows stretch long and the air turns silver with the coming cold, the Sun begins her retreat. Not all at once, but slowly—gracefully—as if in reverence to the stillness of the season. Summer light cannot simply vanish. It is too wild, too full of life and motion. And so our sacred order is born—keepers of the in-between—known as the Dance of Falling Light. Cloaked in the sun’s final whispers of gold, we cross over into the deepening night. Each movement weaves our spell of farewell. With every circle spun, we gently free a thread of light and send it deep into the earth for safe keeping.
We do not mourn the end of summer. We celebrate its completion.
Who are we looking for?
We want folks who want to embody the Sun’s fleeting light through reverent orbital movements, which we will learn together over the 9 weeks of practice. The choreography is suitable for people with or without previous dance experience. If you have any questions about if the group is accessible for you, please reach out to the email listed below. We are an adult only group.
Commitment level: Low
Practice Day: Wednesday evenings 7pm-9:30pm
Open Practices:
(1) Wednesday, September 3rd at Slateford Green’s Community Center from 7pm-9.30pm
(2) Wednesday, September 10th at St Martin of Tours Episcopal Church from 7:30-10:00
First Closed Practice: Wednesday, September 17th from 7pm-9:30pm
Walk-throughs: October 12th, and October 26th
Away day: September 28th
Financial Contribution: £35
If you are interested in joining or having any questions, please email us at: danceofthefallinglight@beltane.org
Deer of the Cailleach
Group Organisers: Jenny, Cait and Sarah – deer@beltane.org
We are the guardians of all those on the hill on Samhuinn night, employing the tradition of guising passed down for generations in our land. We are the deer whom the Cailleach protects, and in gratitude we serve her on this eve in disguise. Some humans may see us as stewards, some will see us as deer. Perhaps we are both?
We stand within the veil between the worlds that on Samhuinn becomes translucent. We hold the space between the witness and the witnessed; the viewer and the artistry; the curiosity of the everyday and the deep knowing of magic.
Are you new to the Society, wanting to dip a toe into this strange new world? A seasoned festival participant wishing to give back to the community? Anyone else in between? Then we are for you!
Join us for fun, costume, headgear and antlers! We will explore the character of the deer, develop crowd control skills, practice our story telling, perform alongside other groups and gain confidence and community.
We are a nature focused, inclusive, child friendly group waiting to welcome you to Calton Hill weekly meets. We will practice with Torchbearers and make torch balls together. We will wear fireproof gloves, make costumes and wear antlers with additional high vis where needed most. For the more adventurous of our herd there is potential to explore working alongside performance groups.
We are the protectors of the hill, supporting the Cailleach, protecting performers and audience alike. But we are also wild deer who just want to have fun and enjoy the whole festival and that’s the experience we want to offer to anyone who’d like to join us.
Leadership style: Friendly and welcoming. We acknowledge that everyone is giving up their time and we respect that. For accessibility, we will support everyone contributing what they can and will support mobility, mental or physical challenges in a confidential and constructive way. And all group practices will be child-friendly (subject to parental supervision), as children may be the future Beltane performers!
Commitment: We are a low to medium commitment group. There are weekly Sunday afternoon practices, the opportunity for mid-week meets with our Torchbearers and potential for working with other groups. Attendance at weekly practices is required as there is a lot to learn!
Financial contribution: £5 per group member
Weekend away: We will have 2 local away days. Just where we go will be discussed with the group, but may involve forest bathing and dabbling with water, whether sea, canal or river.
Open Practices: Meet us for one of the three open practices for people to see what they think of the group before applying to join formally – all at Calton Hill, meet at the Portuguese cannon:
Sunday August 31st at 14:00
Wednesday September 3rd at 19:00 or
Friday September 5th at 19:00
Obsidian
Group Organisers: Nina Willms (she/her), Julia Morales (she/they) and Chris Meechan (he/him) – obsidian@beltane.org
Obsidian forms when lava cools rapidly, in the meeting of fire and ice. Birthed from this powerful volcanic energy, we are a group of fierce elemental entities that harness both the powers of creation and destruction to usher in the seasonal transformation. On Samhuinn night, Obsidian will be awoken from our slumber, called upon by the forces of nature to summon an eruption – a sudden and shocking cataclysm needed to bring about winter and restore balance to the Earth.
We will use a combination of acrobatics, fire spinning, ritual, and physical storytelling to evoke the story of life on Earth: an ancient dance between the forces of creation and destruction beholden only to the steady flow of geological time. Our journey mirrors these forces – steady, powerful, focused on our task to realign the seasonal boundaries by whatever means necessary. Obsidian represents cataclysmic change that, while violent, ultimately embodies a necessary reset and cleansing. Our goal is to bring about Winter – and in the face of broken boundaries between the seasons, we call upon the tectonic rumblings and the dramatic processes of a volcanic eruption to bring about climate and energetic balance.
We have ambitious goals for the use of acrobatics and fire-spinning, as well as the delivery of a strong storytelling concept. We will focus on synchronised movement, choreography, and embodied performance to convey our story. Experience in one or more of these disciplines is encouraged, but we also welcome beginners with little to no experience.
Over the course of this journey, we want to cultivate a sense of optimism for the future of Mother Earth and the resilience of the life that she supports. Our group will use elements of ritual, reflection, and collaboration to foster a sense of community and togetherness to help prepare for the oncoming winter. We endeavour to demonstrate the powerful healing that can come after the transition from summer to winter, even if that transition is a violent one.
- Commitment Level: HIGH
- Accessibility: As our practices will involve acrobatics and fire spinning, we are unfortunately not able to accommodate children at any of our practices, as it would be too dangerous for them and our group members. Similarly, as acrobatics is a core aspect of our group, we are seeking members who feel that they would be able to develop this skill, as we want our group members to feel involved in all aspects of our group. Should you feel you may need any adjustments to allow you to participate in any aspect of our group, please do get in touch via email.
- Financial Contribution: £55 (if this is in any way a challenge for you, please let us know, we don’t want finances to be a barrier to joining)
- MANDATORY Staycation Weekend: 26th – 28th September 2025
- Open Practice Schedule:
- Sunday 31st August, 11am – 2pm
- Wednesday 3rd September, 7 – 10pm
- Saturday 6th September, 11am – 2pm
- All open practice sessions will be held in the Meadows, with an exact location shared with those who sign up using the form below.
- Closed Practice Schedule:
- Wednesdays, 7 – 10pm
- Sundays, 1 – 6pm
- First Closed Practice: Sunday 7th September (please note this is the Sunday after our final open practice session).
Photopoint
Group Organisers: Cass Senior (they/them), Crow Mischief Mackie (they/them) – photopoint@beltane.org
We take photos (and sometimes videos)! Photopoint is about capturing memories and moments of the festival, both big and small. With such a spread out hectic festival, Photopoint helps performers consolidate how large and breathtaking the event can be, giving them a new perspective on their own performance or other groups they might not have seen during the night.
After the night, Photopoint works as an archive of memory for BFS, allowing performers and the public to look back and share in the years past.
Photopoint aims to teach budding photographers to learn more about photography or further their existing skill. This year, Photopoint would like to focus on creating and developing each person’s own style, by creatively manipulating the image using crystals, mirrors, weird colours and all those fabulous things.
At first, Photopoint might seem daunting but we aim to be accessible to all those wanting to learn. This festival, we’re putting a big focus on managing and accommodating energy levels and burnout while in this hectic period!
While we may be able to source some short term loan cameras for the open rehearsals, photographers may need to arrange long term loans if they do not own a camera. We don’t want this to be a barrier for anyone so please reach out if you need support. Due to the nature of the group, it is sadly not child friendly.
• Medium commitment to start but increasing to high commitment before and after the festival. Photopoint runs for roughly a month after the festival.
• Expected financial contribution: £10-15
• Staycation/Day Trip: TBC
• Open rehearsals: Wednesday 3rd 7-9pm, Sun 7th 7-9pm (online), Wednesday 10th 7-9pm!
• First closed rehearsal: Sunday 14th 7-9pm!
Reds
Group Organisers: Colette Fennell (she/her), Robert Greenwood-Gilyard (Rob, they/He), Franklyn Reinhart (they/them) – reds@beltane.org
Born of skin-clinging heat and fevered exhalations, the REDS return as Summer’s last defiant blaze, wild creatures of chaos filled with ominous pulsating purpose. As winter’s shadow encroaches upon Calton Hill, the REDS are no longer bound only for play, mischief or lust, they instead dance on the edge of mania and obsession connecting to their darkest wildness. They feel the roiling press of forces, corpulent stagnation versus harrowing integration, and respond in kind, their bodies speaking in foolish flows and fearless fluid feral movements. The REDS will burn bright against Samhuinn’s encroaching dark, not fading but exploding into their final blaze.
This is an acro-heavy, high-commitment ensemble for those ready to sweat, and surrender to the darkness of Samhuinn.
We will be:
- Exploring a darker RED energy
- Returning to the group’s historic use of MASKS
- Prioritising Partner Acro and ‘Character via Movement’ training (exploring different crawling and walking patterns) There will be some pyramids but this will be a ‘pyramid-lite’ acro group.
- Potentially working with group vocalisations to create atmosphere and as a tool for character expression
Open Practice dates:
September 1st, Monday, 7pm – 9pm
September 5th, Friday, 7pm – 9pm
September 6th, Saturday, 12pm – 2pm
Deadline for sending in a full group application will be 5pm on September 6th (yes, a few hours after the final open practice)
Closed Practices:
Wednesday 7 – 9.30pm, Sundays 1 – 6pm
First Closed:
7th Sunday September (yes, the day after the last open) ((A low movement, welcome session))
Financial contribution is expected to be:
£50.
Mandatory Weekend away dates:
Wild camping – 3rd-5th October (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
Remoria
Group Organisers: Tiger Strode (they/them) & Liulfr Wilde (he/it)– remembrance@beltane.org
REMORIA – is a sacred space held in the middle of the hill for the audience and performers alike to mark the passing of a person or an old way of life. We ferry “the spirit” into the ether and are bound to a single location. Through the night we will create a space and a moment of ritual for the participants of the festival to remember their fallen or let go of that which does not serve them by casting cloots into fire as we regulate a steady passing of people into our space and out of it.
You will lead your own journey on how to manifest this intent into character with support from the group.
We won’t have rehearsals as you will have done Beltane’s and Samhuinn’s before and hear the call to the space knowing what this sort of space can mean to a person’s journey.
We will have 4 or 5 sessions to form the group, calibrate the concept and cover the necessaries.
When meeting we’ll do so in Potter row (Edinburgh university – student union building)
We’ll largely talk over Whatsapp
REMORIA is open to experienced people who enjoy a blank canvas and can play well with others – The group ethos is cheap, free, trade. So we hope to share what we can with other to keep costs down. We want this group to be accessible, we believe in the social model of disability – tell us how to adapt what we do so you can participate. We are a no children group. We hope the group would fit nicely along a full time job and limited income.
- Commitment level: Low – 5 meetings (location will be picked by time bound consensus)
- Expected financial contribution: £20 (for paint and transport – left over? Will go toward food at the end)
- Weekend Away Dates/or details: There isn’t one unless the need presents itself.
- Open practice schedule: Register for open rehearsals by clicking the button below or use the QR code
- Tuesday September 2nd 19:00 Potter Row (near Bristo square)
- Tuesday September 9th 19:00 Potter Row (near Bristo square)
Suail
Suail (SOO-al) 1. swell (of the sea) 2. wonder, amazement.
Group Organisers: Kat Bradley, Ian Donaldson, Trina Montgomery, Daniel Tysen – suail@beltane.org
Suail is the sound and the motion of the Sea. An amorphous host of bodies, moving and singing the vast inhuman patterns of wave and wind. Gradually, human folksong emerges from over the waves. The waters remember echoes of generations gone: of the people who have lived and died by the grace of the Sea.
Suail will have a focused creative vision. We will be a choir using traditional song, abstract soundscape and butoh-inspired dance to express the Sea. In appearance we will be spectral and haunting, at times in slow fluid intensity, at times crashing like the waves. There will also be some space for group members to co-create pieces of sound & movement.
Suail will be a high commitment group. Closed practices will be twice-weekly, on Wednesday and Sunday, with additional rehearsals and costuming sessions as needed. There will also be homework to learn tunes, lyrics and harmonies. -Expected financial contribution (incl some costume fabric) £55, plus a small contribution (tbc) to costs of the group’s away weekend 26-28 September, of which Saturday daytime will be mandatory.
Suail is looking for people who can sing: but members do not need to have previous experience of public singing or of movement.
Open practices will be:
– Sunday 31 August: 4.30-7.30pm, Holyrood Park
– Wednesday 3 September: 7pm-10pm, Quaker Meeting House
– Thursday 4th September: 7pm-10pm, Quaker Meeting House
Suail will aim to be an accessible group; we have a few roles available for lantern bearers who will be able to join all the singing, but have a less movement-heavy role in the performance. Please let us know if you have any needs we should know about before an open practice.
Torchies
Group Organisers: Garen Abel-Unokan and Jude Mayson – torchbearers@beltane.org
Concept/blurb: Fire on a stick? Fire on a stick! We’re here to light up the hill and put the FIRE in Samhuinn Fire Festival. This is the group for people who:
— really like wearing cloaks (made yourself or borrowed)
— really like wearing black
— really like setting things alight (safely!)
On a ceremonial level, the procession of Torchbearers represent the liminal boundary between the everyday world and the space that our Cailleach, Kings, and spirits move through. We are responsible for starting the Neidfire, the ritual flame that lights all other fires on the night of Samhuinn.
Leadership style — we are very open to ideas and people bringing different skills to the group. We want to foster a space where there truly are no stupid questions. Unfortunately, we’re not a child- or dog-friendly group as we will be practicing with fire and hazardous substances and meeting at Beltonia, which is not child-proofed!
Commitment level — However low commitment you’re thinking, think lower. We’ll be having one to two practices a week, covering Torchie history, fire safety, joint practices with the Stewards, and last but most definitely not least — torchball making. On the note of low-commitment, if you’re not signing up for Torchbearers but DO have a black cloak you’d be happy to lend to one of our group members, please get in touch!
Expected financial contribution — roughly £10 per member
Staycation — 5th October, relaxed picnic around a fire in a nice outdoors spot
Open Practices —
Sunday 31st of August, 2pm — 4pm on Calton Hill with the Stewards (firm) and
Friday 5th of September, 6pm — 8pm at Beltonia (Leith)
Tech
Group Organisers: Peter Jackson – tech@beltane.org
Come be a part of the festival from behind the scenes.
We help facilitate the tech needs of each Samhuinn group (within reason) and the wider production. We create and provide light by fire cans, to help the telling of the Samhuinn story.
On Samhuinn night we are there to light fires and contribute to the safety and smooth running of the festival. From stage building to fire safety, we do a bit of everything.
You don’t need specific skills, only enthusiasm to learn! Whether you’re completely new to BFS, or you’ve been involved in more festivals than you can count, everyone is welcome in Tech: we’re here to share knowledge, learn from each other and have a good time.
- Tech is a variable time commitment group. We’ll be having meetings on some weekend at our stores in Leith in the run up and will arrive at the festival site to set up before other groups. Apart from a mandatory safety training session, and attendance at at least one walkthrough, there is a lot of flexibility about when you can help out.
- No financial contribution. You might want to consider buying safety boots for doing certain tasks that require foot protection, but we do have a limited number of pairs that can be borrowed and many things tech do don’t need safety boots
Open practice schedule
- Sunday 7th September 1-4pm at 16 East Cromwell St, EH6 6HF (suggested that you contact us in advance but turning up is fine too) with meetings after this to be confirmed. Contact us to find out more.
Drop us an email at tech@beltane.org or complete the form to find out more information about Tech and open practice.
Closed Groups:
Heralds of Winter
Group Organisers: Alexander De’Athe, Jude Sevestre, Rob May
Email address: heraldsofwinter@beltane.org
Onwards. And onwards. Towards the rising dawn, towards the darkening sky, towards an eternity of tomorrows. Open your arms wide and embrace each season as it emerges to greet you, as it flows into you and through you. And then it’s gone, only to be usurped in your vision by the next. And so we march on, each cycle completing it’s turn, over and over and over again, a rhythm that has played since time beyond memory and will continue to thrum into an infinite future. Geological ages pass, the earth shaping and reshaping itself, caught up in it’s own cyclic dance like a whirling dervish. Each turn ends with a flourish before being begun anew.
The Heralds of Winter embody this relentless push, around and around the cycles of our lives and of our precious earth. At this point in it’s turn we have come to be Heralds for Her, our Cailleach, to announce Her return to carry out Her ancient duty. To put summer to rest so that the year can be reborn.
We are a drumming group, creating the ritual push and beating heart of the festival. Our crew is celebrating 10 years of life, having been born out of Samhuinn 2015 and kept growing and spreading its wings through 10 turns of the wheel. We have borne witness to many things in the tenure of our existence, the rise of fascism, the deepening climate crisis, genocide, the full pause of human life due to a global pandemic. And still we go on, we persist. We are honoured to return to the roots in service to the festival and its community.
We are a closed group, being run as a committee led collective. We will not be accepting new members but are open and enthusiastic about collaborating with other groups.
Projects
Cloaking Device
Project Organisers: Ann Landmann – cloakingdevices@beltane.org
Everyone loves a cloak! They keep you warm, potentially dry and definitely looking cool and mysterious.
But no everyone has one in their wardrobe, and experience shows that making one A) takes longer than expected and B) is often left quite late as people are swept up in the excitement of the festival.
This is where Project Cloaking Devices comes in!
We’re an informal costuming group that meets a few times in the run-up to the festival. Whether you’re an experienced sewer or embarking on your first make, come along to connect to fellow Beltaners, get tips and tricks or tackle that tricky bit in good company (Hoods! Pockets!).
We’re not limited to making cloaks – we’re here for all your costuming needs, but please note that your Project Leader Ann has only made two cloaks and one hood (and many, many diaper bags) to date.
- We will have informal drop-in sessions and guided sessions where a guest speaker will share their wisdom about aspects of costuming.
- There should be no financial contribution to come along, however you will need to source your own materials. Make sure to check out the Fabricswap project.
Sign up to our mailing list to keep updated about our meeting dates. We are also looking for people to share their expertise and own makes.
Consent
Project Organisers: Mary Roche – consent@beltane.org
This year I am here with Consent Project primarily as an extra support for our GOs in delivering consent talks and workshops for their groups, however I’m always excited to talk consent and boundaries with anyone!
One of the most valuable things I have encountered within BFS has been the opportunity to experience a community of people who value inclusiveness, mutual respect and social safety. Being in an environment that champions consent, communication and striving to make things better has been such a wonderful by-product for someone who initially showed up just wanting to experience feral joy amongst the Reds! I hope that Consent Project will help our members – both old and new – to experience BFS as a safe and supportive environment where they can continue to build their own skills and understanding around consent and social safety alongside delving into all of the fantastic and exciting things our groups have planned for this festival.
In recent years Beltane Fire Society has had the pleasure of welcoming FLAPS to deliver Consent workshops to some of our members and we will hopefully continue to enjoy more visits from them as part of our Consent Project. Information about FLAPS and the wonderful work they do can be found here: https://www.theflapsproject.com/.
Fabric Sharing
Project Organisers: Marc Ruadh & Simone Mckenzie – fabricsharing@beltane.org
Creating a costume has been a part of Samhuinn celebrations for generations and it’s an important part of our festivals as well. Over the years, many of us will have built up a considerable stash of crafting supplies, whilst others may not know where to start. We would like to facilitate sharing, reusing creatively, reducing our impact on the planet, connecting through generosity, getting free stuff, and making it easier for everyone to make sustainable choices for Samhuinn!
We will be running two sharing events in the run-up, on the 20th of September and the 6th of October. These will be a chance to bring fabric, props and other costume elements and offer them to others, and get some new-to-you things for your own costume or other projects. We’d also like to invite people to swap items such as water spray bottles and mirrors for use in your Getting Ready Space.
Even if you have nothing to swap, you’re still very welcome to come to collect items, or just to have a look!
We’ll share more information about event logistics and what we have available to collect on social media, through GOs, and in the society newsletter, but if you would like to get info directly to your inbox, please sign up to our mailing list.
Grove Gatherings
Project Organisers: Lindsey Bell – grovegatherings@beltane.org
Grove Gatherings is a semi-regular, informal Saturday afternoon outdoor social held at Corstorphine Hill Nature Reserve. Its aim is to offer a space for connection, reflection, and community outside the usual rhythms of rehearsal and performance. Festival season can pull us into rehearsal bubbles, and sometimes for some, it can feel isolating.
Consider this an open invitation to gather. To reconnect with old friends and welcome new faces, no matter where we are in the cycle of participation. To pause under a canopy of trees and really witness the changing season. To smell the leaves, feel the damp moss underfoot, and taste the shift of autumn on the air. I’ll set up tarps, a few string lights, and hold space. There may be a gentle themed activity or two also and if anyone wants to run something, even better.
All are welcome, whether you are actively participating in the festival or not, and do feel free to bring family.
Where: Corstorphine Nature Reserve
When: Every other Saturday afternoon
Saturday 6th September 2pm-5pm
Saturday 20th September 12pm-3pm
Saturday 4th October 2pm-5pm
Saturday 18th October 2pm-5pm
If you would like to join the mailing list please fill out the following form.
Hillusphere Art Installation
Project Organisers: Ann Russell – hillusphere@beltane.org
Are you a crafter & do you like to make things and forage?
This may be just the project you have been looking for.
We will be constructing an installation on Carlton Hill based on the play between opposites – Summer/Winter, light/dark, man-made/nature – and the themes and ideas expressed by the Summer King & Winter King.
The installation will be made from lots of recycled bicycle rims/wheels to create natural 3d shapes based on circles. Several circles will be decorated with ‘salmon’ related artwork (created from recycled ‘fish’ packaging and other discarded waste material) to create patterns reflecting the transient nature of water/nature (mandala stye)
Some of the panels will also reflect the ebb & Flow of water, whirlpools, lava, through woven patterns, imagery and found materials..
*Members of the BFS will be invited to attend craft sessions to help construct these panels. I will also put out a plea to members to help collect items (beach walks) & packaging.
- Commitment level: Low (no craft experience needed – just bring yourself along)
- Open practice schedule:
Several ‘crafter-noon’ sessions to create mandala style weavings and art
(held at Beltonia – Leith, or Riverside Hse – Gorgie) – Dates to be confirmed.
Foraging expeditions (either group or individual) along the beach to find interesting things
A call out to individuals to collect unusual items that will be transformed into art.
Kindling
Project Organisers: Hannah Smith (she/her)
We are the Beltane Fire Society, and we are organising the Samhuinn Fire Festival! However… not all of us feel comfortable around fire! It’s scary, unpredictable, and feels risky. We do a great job of making fire handling safe in our events and our community, but not everyone feels empowered to jump right into a fire spinning group, or to join Torchies. What if you need that extra introduction to make it feel safe? That’s where Kindling comes in.
Hi, I’m Hannah! In my BFS career I’ve done about 8 fire groups, and GO’d 3 groups which used fire extensively. The Kindling workshop is aimed at getting attendees moving and handling (unlit) fire toys, getting an in depth fire safety chat, and finally facilitating a safe handling of fire toys (optional!) The difference is that I really focus on reassuring people who feel a bit more nervous around fire, and focus on practical considerations about starting to handle fire rather than teaching fire spinning ‘tricks’ or moves. No 3-beat weaves will be taught here! If you’ve ever spun fire, you’ve already graduated beyond my workshop. It’s all about giving people who’ve said “I could never do that” that initial stepping stone outside of a traditional fire group open practice.
I will provide all safety equipment, a range of fire toys, and my experience. You bring yourself, dressed in natural fibres, and an open mind, even if it’s also an anxious one!
When? Where? How?
- Thursday 4th September, 7.30pm – 9pm-ish depending on how much fire spinning people want to do!
- The Meadows (exact location will be emailed out, but around Middle Meadows Walk)
- Free and no equipment needed, but you can bring your own toys if you’d like to use them during the workshop
- Natural fibre clothing ONLY – you can remove rain jackets etc for the fire portion but please wear denim, cotton, linen, sheep’s wool (not vegan or acrylic wool), real leather, etc. Dress for comfortable movement.
- Accessibility – I should be able to tailor most of the workshop around a range of physical additional needs. Some medical or accessibility equipment may not be safe around the fire portion of the workshop (e.g. compressed gas or batteries/wiring), please email me with details if needed.
- Please email Kindling@beltane.org to sign up, ask questions, and get the exact location, further information, and so on 🙂
Rùnach Soundsphere
Rùnach Soundsphere: Echoes from the Unwritten Age
Project Organisers: Violette Rose (she/her), Kaelin Farnish (she/her) – runachsoundsphere@beltane.org
Born of the Samhuinn Fires last year and whirled by the winds of Beltane, Rùnach Beathrach returns to Samhuinn with a powerful musical project, forged in fire and steeped in the mysteries of time.
Drawing from the imagined ancestral sounds of the Celts, Norsemen, Picts and Scots, Rùnach conjures a magical dark-folk melodic soundscape that weaves in and out of liminal space and time. The violin, viola and harp stir the heart, the hurdy gurdy, bass and drums plant your feet on the earth, and powerful vocals spiral the energy upward in a ritual of ecstatic connection.
We are a closed musical project aimed at building and developing original music from our six members, lead by Violette Rose and Kaelin Farnish.
While we are not accepting applications for musicians, we are in need of a sound tech for optimising sound output, and helping with set-up and tear-down at both walkthroughs and on the night. Some training provided. Our helper/s are welcome (but not required) at rehearsals (1 weeknight + Sunday afternoon each week in South Gyle) to get acquainted with the tech and for learning. All spaces are w/c accessible and child-friendly, except for the weekend away camping trip on 4th- 5th October.
If this vision calls to you, please get in touch.
Photo Credit: Ross Cameron
Bairns of Beltane
Project Organisers: Flaviana Preston – bairns@beltane.org
The May Queen and Green Man have been hard at work all year bringing new life into the world. Now the Cailleach is approaching and it’s time for all the wee ones to coorie in before she arrives. Snuggle down together with a warm drink, a good story and your favourite blankie.
Bairns of Beltane is a relaxed space for members of the BFS community and their babies and toddlers to come together for support, chats, walks, rest, stories, connection and play. The group will be shaped by the needs and preferences of the people who come along.
Best for pre-school aged children and their adults but all ages of bairns are welcome.
When: Three day-time meetings in the run up to Samhuinn (Sunday 21st September, Sunday 5th October and Sunday 19th October)
Where: Locations TBD.
Commitment level: Very low. Feel free to come along for one hour, one or two sessions or every time we meet.
Financial contribution: None. We might visit cafés and/or small donations might be welcome if we hire a meeting room (locations TBD).
If you would like to come along for one or more sessions please click the sign up button: or email: bairns@beltane.org
Radio Practice Sessions™
Project Organisers: C’tri & Caity Oddy – radiotraining@beltane.org
A chance for Stewards, Tech, and anyone else who wants to practice using handheld radios.
Get used to things like changing channels, listening, and knowing what to say.
A couple of times during the run up we’ll meet up, practice using some commercial digital radios (like what we’ll use on the night).
Expect a blend of light-hearted exercises, and rehearsing communicating things you might need to say the night.
“You should never do something for the first time on the night” – Various
Interested? Questions? Say hi at radiotraining@beltane.org
Beltane Fire Society 