Beltane is one of the four major fire festivals of the Wheel of the Year. Pagan in origin, the Wheel charts the passage of time through the main solar events——the Summer and Winter Solstice, and the Autumn and Spring Equinox——fire festivals mark the four midway points between these events with Celtic beginnings. Living by the Wheel of the Year means honouring nature——and cycles of birth, death and rebirth——through the ancient cultural celebrations of its festivals.
Beltane falls on May the 1st——seen as the gateway to the lighter half of the year and the six summer months culminating in Samhain (or Halloween) and the first day of Winter——Beltane heralds the beginning of summer when nature hits its peak and stirs coequal festivity and celebration.
Glastonbury Beltane Festival 2024——saw some incredible manifestations of belief and artistry, and this ongoing portrait project captured some of the individual expressions making up the collective celebrations of the day. Green Men and Maidens, Celts, Pagans, Wiccan, Druids and Others——come together to weave the Maypole and drink Mead, light fires to Bel, chant Cymraeg song and dance in the sunshine——an event skilfully MC’ed by the indomitable Glastonbury Town Crier, David Greenway.