Beltane Fire Festival 2027
Calton Hill, the last night of April, and a lot of fire.
Countdown to Beltane 2027
Dates
When is Beltane Fire Festival?
Beltane Fire Festival 2027 falls from Friday, 30 April 2027 to Saturday, 1 May 2027 (expected; it can move by a day).
Traditionally the night of 30 April into 1 May; the Beltane Fire Society confirms each year's event and tickets in spring.
Date checked against beltane.org
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 30 April – 1 May 2026Thu – Fri | 2 days | Past |
| 2027 | 30 April – 1 May 2027Fri – Sat | 2 days | Expected |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Fire & Flame
- Tradition
- Secular & Civic
- Where
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Crowd
- Several thousand per night
- UNESCO
- Not inscribed
A modern pagan-adjacent theatre event on a hill above Edinburgh, with drums, a maypole, and a Wicker Man that is burned at the end.
Beltane is the Celtic quarter day between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. The Edinburgh festival was founded in 1988 by a collective who wanted a public, participatory event rather than a spectacle to watch.
It runs from dusk to roughly 11pm on 30 April. The audience is handed red and white face paint at the gate and becomes part of the procession; the May Queen and the Green Man are the two narrative poles.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Beltane
Traditions
What actually happens
- The procession — drummers leading the crowd up Calton Hill.
- The May Queen and the Green Man — the fertility narrative, played out on a stage of fire.
- The bonfire — lit at the end of the first act, burning through the rest.
- The burning of the Wicker Man — the closing sacrifice, at the top of the hill.
Food
The table, widened
- Food stalls at the base of the hill; soup and bread at the top if you are a performer.
- Bring a flask. It is cold on a Scottish hillside at 9pm in April.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Percussion-led, entirely live: frame drums, didgeridoo, bagpipes and a very large number of people banging things. The tempo is engineered to carry a crowd up a hill in the dark.
Religion
Why this date
Beltane is a pre-Christian Celtic fire festival, referenced in early Irish literature. The Edinburgh event is explicitly secular-pagan — a ritual theatre piece using seasonal symbolism, open to anyone with a ticket.
History
How it survived
The Celtic quarter days are recorded in medieval Irish texts. Edinburgh's Beltane Fire Festival began on Calton Hill in 1988 with a few dozen performers and now involves several hundred, with sister events in other cities.
History
How it got here
The Celtic quarter days are recorded in medieval Irish texts. Edinburgh's Beltane Fire Festival began on Calton Hill in 1988 with a few dozen performers and now involves several hundred, with sister events in other cities.
Medieval
Quarter day
Beltane recorded in early Irish texts as one of four Celtic quarter days.
1988
Calton Hill
The Edinburgh Beltane Fire Festival is founded as participatory ritual theatre.
Today
Spring rite
Several hundred performers and several thousand ticket holders on one hillside.
Travel & practical
Visiting Edinburgh for Beltane
Getting there
Edinburgh city centre, then a 15-minute walk up to Calton Hill.
Tickets
Ticketed and capped for safety. They sell out in advance each spring.
Practical notes
Flat shoes are mandatory — the hill is steep and the ground is unlit. Expect real fire near the crowd.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Beltane Fire Festival: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Beltane Fire Festival.
Is it a religious ceremony?
It is ritual theatre with seasonal symbolism. Participation is invited; belief is not required.
Can I bring children?
Yes, but it involves real fire, loud drums and nudity in some scenes. Use your judgement.
What should I wear?
Warm layers and flat, closed shoes. You will be given face paint at the entrance.
Also in April 2027
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Other fire & flame and secular & civic festivals.
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