The Samhuinn Fire Festival in Edinburgh is a re-creation of the ancient Celtic festival that marked the end of a bountiful summer and the beginning of the cold, dark winter. Taking place on October 31 at the top of the city’s dramatic Calton Hill, the festival takes Halloween to its spookiest level.
What is Samhuinn?
The Halloween I’m most familiar with is the North American version involving dressing up in costumes and going door-to-door to get candy from neighbours. Turns out, the origin of this now commercially driven tradition lies with the Celtic Festival of Samhuinn (pronounced sow-in). The Celts believed that in the hours before summer surrenders to winter’s frostiness (a kind of death), the boundaries between the living the dead blur — the ghosts of those who have passed return. Back in the day, the Celts lit bonfires and wore costumes to commune with these ghosts and to come together for comfort against winter’s chill.
Beltane Fire Society
The Beltane Fire Society is a volunteer organization working to promote the traditions of the Celtic lunar calendar fire festivals and how they relate to contemporary culture. The Society organizes and hosts two events – the Beltane Fire Festival at the end of April to celebrate the arrival of summer and the Samhuinn Fire Festival in October.
Immersive Theatre
The festival is a sprawling spectacle where performers enact the epic struggle between the Winter King and the Summer King. The finale is the appearance of the Cailleach – the weather goddess that decides each of their fates. The event kicks off with the lighting of the bonfire, dancing and acrobatics. Costumed performers carry lit torches, sing, drum, and interact with one another and the audience
The action takes place in a procession across Calton Hill, which is home to various monuments and an observatory. It’s a perfect setting for this festival. Although handlers protect the performers, they interact with the crowd on occasion, and as an audience member, you feel part of the story unfolding before you.
Quick Guide to the Samhuinn Fire Festival
First off, this event is bigger than we thought it would be! The reported attendance following the 2019 festival was 7,500. Calton Hill is huge, so it never feels like you are packed in among a crowd, but unless you’re among the first to get into the site, it’s not easy getting a front-row place to observe the performers.
Speaking of getting to the site early – the gates open at 7 p.m. We arrived around 6:40, and the queue was one of the longest I’ve ever consented to endure. Although it kept moving, it took about 40 minutes until we reached the front.
Although you can purchase tickets at the site for £10, make it easy on yourself and get them online ahead of time for just £8. I’m not sure what the line-up was like at the box office, but I’m glad I didn’t have to endure that and the queue to get in.
We saw several attendees dressed in costume, but most were not. Whatever you wear, make it warm. Calton Hill is windy, and when you’re standing outside for the evening, a chill is bound to set in. Even though it was about 10 degrees Celsius the night of the festival, we wore long underwear and a couple of extra layers and were happy we did.
There are a few food vendors on-site, but no alcohol sales. You can, however, bring your own alcoholic beverage to enjoy while taking in the performance as long as it isn’t in a glass container. Remarkably, we did not see anyone overindulging. It’s a family-friendly event, although I wouldn’t bring small children as some of the costumed performers might be a bit scary for the younger set.
Once you’re on the site and the initial bonfire is lit, follow the performers as soon as possible if you didn’t get close to the front – once the performers start sprawling out, there is more of an opportunity to get a closer vantage point.
Should you go to the Samhuinn Fire Festival?
If you are in Edinburgh at Halloween, why wouldn’t you go to this event? We had never experienced anything like it. It’s dramatic, takes place in a stunning location, and the drumming, dancing, and costumes stir the imagination of what those early Celtic celebrations were like.
Get a closer look at the festival by visiting the Edinburgh Live site.
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The Samhuinn Fire Festival looks both spooky and fascinating. It would be an interesting thing to experience.
I feel fortunate to have been visiting Edinburgh on Halloween. I can’t think of any better place to be. Very cool.