The Edinburgh Beltane Fire Festival began in 1988.
The modern festival was launched by a small group of enthusiasts in Edinburgh, including Angus Farquhar of the musical collective Test Dept., choreographer Lindsay John and dancers from Laban. Gaelic ethnologist Margaret Bennett and academics connected with the University of Edinburgh’s School of Scottish Studies also contributed research and support.
The event was created as a modern celebration inspired by the older Gaelic festival of Beltane. It takes place on the night of 30 April, leading into May Day, and features fire, music, costumed performers and a procession. The May Queen and the Green Man are central figures, and the performance traditionally culminates in the lighting of a bonfire.
The first modern event was intended for Arthur’s Seat, a location associated with earlier Edinburgh Beltane celebrations, but practical considerations led organisers to move it to Calton Hill. It began with roughly a dozen performers and a few hundred spectators. Over time, it expanded into a large participatory arts event involving hundreds of performers and thousands of audience members. It should not be confused with an uninterrupted ancient festival: the Edinburgh event is a modern revival and evolving artistic interpretation.