SAMHUINN FIRE FESTIVAL 2025: FACE THE DARK, FIND COMMUNITY
On Friday 31st October 2025, Edinburgh’s historic Calton Hill will once again blaze with fire, myth, and performance as the Samhuinn Fire Festival marks the turning of the seasons, brought to you by Beltane Fire Society.
Reimagining ancient Celtic traditions through immersive, contemporary performance, Samhuinn tells the story of the struggle between Summer and Winter, light and dark.
Drummers, acrobats, dancers, and a host of otherworldly characters will transform the city’s skyline with fire, music, and ritual.
At the heart of the festival stands the Cailleach – the divine Crone – who guides us through this time of transition.
She asks: ‘Have you lived with care and courage? Have you supported your community and thought with nuance?’
With Her deer by her side, and with the Summer and Winter Courts locked in their eternal battle, the audience will be invited to step into the dark with courage and connection.
This year, Samhuinn centres on radical connection: the strength we find in each other, the wisdom of perspective, and the courage to face our shadows.
The festival is both a spectacle and a reflection, a chance to gather as a community and embrace the coming of winter together.
Chair of Beltane Fire Society, Jenny Bloom, says: “”As the dark Scottish Winter approaches, hundreds of volunteers and thousands of witnesses will join together on Samhuinn night to welcome Winter, to honour the Summer’s passing, and make something magical on Calton Hill. Come and join us!”
EVENT INFORMATION
Tickets
Adults from £9.50 in advance
Under 18s £7 in advance
Booking fees an additional cost.
Tickets are only available from our authorised box office supplier, Citizen Ticket, and are not available for resale or transfer on any secondary market.
Do not attempt to buy tickets for sale on other platforms – they will not be genuine.
Location:
Calton Hill
Times
Gates open: 6:30pm
Event ends: 11pm.
Samhuinn brings together a host of volunteer performers with fire-play, drumming, and wild costumes to Calton Hill, marking the transition of Summer into Winter. Audiences will witness a host of characters representing Summer and Winter.
The characters will coalesce around a stage where the mysterious figure of the Cailleach, a Celtic representation of the goddess, or Divine Hag, will usher in the colder months.
The Beltane Fire Society is a registered Scottish charity run by volunteers and a staple of Edinburgh’s cultural scene, dedicated to keeping the ancient Celtic calendar alive and sharing skills of street theatre, costume-making, folklore, music and immersive performance.
Its Summer counterpart, Samhuinn takes place at Calton Hill on the last day of October each year. The festival celebrates one of the four Celtic quarter day festivals and marks the end of Winter and the beginning of Summer.
