What figure often accompanies the May Queen in Beltane traditions?

The Green Man often accompanies the May Queen in modern Beltane traditions. Together, they appear as complementary seasonal figures in processions and fire festivals celebrating the arrival of summer.

The Green Man is a leafy or nature-associated figure found in modern folklore, festival imagery and pagan revival traditions. At Edinburgh’s Beltane Fire Festival, held annually on Calton Hill since 1988, the May Queen and Green Man lead a costumed procession that culminates in the lighting of a bonfire. The pairing emphasizes fertility, growth and the seasonal transition into summer.

The Holly King and Oak King belong mainly to modern pagan stories about opposing seasonal rulers, rather than being the standard companion named in this Beltane festival description. Jack-in-the-Green is another May-related figure, but it is more closely associated with English May Day customs and is not the canonical answer here.