Samhuinn

The procession begins at Castle Esplanade and makes its way to Parliament Square

A modern retelling of an ancient story - the battle between light and dark, summer and winter takes place on Samhuinn night.

You may know the date as Halloween, 31 October.

Anna from the Beltane Fire Society explains about the Festival its associated traditions.

The procession is held in Edinburgh and here's how you can get involved.

Tradition

By Samhuinn, the darkness within the Green Man of Summer has grown to become a vast shadow stalking him. He has become unstable. A self-destructive element is ripped from within him and manifests as the Horned God of Winter walks once more. celebration, a struggle; the male ego caves in on itself and sees one close to death and madness.

The influence of the Cailleach rejoins these souls and the Consort is made whole again. The Green Man willingly gives the last of his life over to his counterpart, ensuring his spirit lives on. Balance is achieved by the Horned God with the transition from chaos and destruction to stability. Male and female are once again joined as the Cailleach and the Horned God present themselves as the Lady and Lord of Winter.

The Beltane Fire Society stages the story, complete with fire, drums, costumes and ritual. Witness light battle darkness, summer battle winter and see the space where the veil between the two worlds thins.

Background

Following the emergence of Edinburgh's Beltane celebration on Calton Hill over 20 years ago, the Beltane Fire Society also resurrected the celebration of Samhuinn. The Society aims to promote community development and cohesion as well increasing public awareness of Celtic seasonal festivals using pyrotechnic wizardry in a procession and outdoor theatre performance.

The Society

Beltane Fire Society events are a unique opportunity for the whole community of Edinburgh to join in a celebration of the country's ancient heritage. The Beltane Fire Society is managed by a voluntary committee, and all the performers are volunteers.

The process of developing the events each year has also proven to be a valuable catalyst for community development. All the performers are voluntary, and many are previously inexperienced in performance skills. Under the guidance of experienced performers and community artists, the volunteers are trained in the technical aspects of event production, prop construction, in character performance techniques, team building, percussion skills and the safety considerations of outdoor events. For more information visit the website.

www.beltane.org