How to Set Up Your Beltane Altar
Find inspiration for how to set up your own cross-quarter altar with these ideas from other witches and pagans.
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Beltane is the Wheel of the Year holiday that honors the mid-point between Spring and Summer. It was one of the Ancient Celtic fire festivals and an important agricultural holiday in those times. And, it’s still an important one to celebrate for many Wiccans and other neo-pagans. And one way to do so is to decorate your altar with the colors of symbols of Beltane.
The methods of celebration have changed from the days of the Celts until now, as modern celebrations integrate inspiration from May Day festivals and Floralia. But Beltane‘s themes of protection, fertility, and the blooms of the earth are still present.
Your Beltane altar is the perfect space to showcase these themes of light, sensuality, and sweetness. Preparing your sacred space between seasons also allows you to take a moment to reflect and set intentions if you didn’t have a chance to do so at Ostara.
Below are some correspondences and inspiration for your sacred space.
What To Include On Your Beltane Altar
- Wheel of the Year: Design one of your own or use a disc like this one
- Candles: Red, green, pink, blue, yellow, white, lavender
- Symbols: Fire (candles are perfect for this), maypole, antlers, fairies, flower crowns
- Blooming Flowers: Roses, lilac, lavender, elderflowers, cowslips, jasmine
- Incense or Herbs: Rose, chamomile, yarrow, mugwort, red clover, cinnamon
- Offerings of Food: Honey, mead, cherries, strawberries, grilled meats, dairy
- Personal Items: Any meaningful objects that align with your intentions for fertility, sensuality, blooming, or protection.
Beltane Altar Ideas
Below are some altar ideas witches have created for Beltane. Let these inspire you as you decorate your own and prepare for the holiday. If you’re looking for altar items, Crescent and Craft sells stunning Sabbat candles on her site.
1. Simple Altar
This relatively simple Beltane altar features some the colors of the season (pink, green, purple) and traditional altar pieces — like the cauldron — to create a pretty scene. On the open grimoire in front, we see some of the witch’s correspondences for the holiday.
2. Roses and Tarot Cards
The creator of the Moon Void tarot deck set up this romantic altar for the holiday with pink roses and baby’s breath.
3. Outdoor Altar
Here’s another take on a romantic Beltane altar. This one was constructed in Central Park by Avalon Grove. On it appear to be sweet offerings alongside candles, stones, bells, and a basket of flower petals.
4. Miniature Maypole
There are many ways to incorporate a maypole into your altar setup. This witch created an entire scene using ribbons and corn dollies wearing flower crowns and antlers, possibly to represent the May Queen and Horned God.
5. Maypole with God and Goddess
This is a different take on the maypole motif, using a statue of the Goddess as the center. Also on the altar are other feminine and masculine statues and symbols, including antlers, a pine cone, and a tarot card for the season.
6. Nature Themed Altar
This pretty setup has a lot going on within it. There’s flowers and vines, the moon phases, a pentacle at the center, hanging lights, candles, mushrooms, and other natural elements.
7. Fairy Garden for Beltane
This whimsical altar incorporates the fae element into its design with the miniature door and a fairy sitting on top of the Wheel of the Year.
8. Focused Beltane Altar
This simple altar has all of the essential elements and would be easy to recreate in a small space. The addition of rose buds around the pentacle is a sweet addition.
9. Pink Beltane Altar
This altar leans heavily on the pink theme, with a rose quartz athame and many pink crystals surrounding the cauldron. There’s also a honey jar and some plants representing sweetness and growth.
10. Masculine and Feminine Altar
This altar combines the elements of the masculine and feminine seamlessly with the deer statue and floral elements. It also includes other modern symbols of Beltane, such as the flower crown.
11. Colorful Altar
This altar appears to include some Mexican aspects with it as well within the vibrant color scheme as well as the small skeleton statues.
12. Fairytale Romance
This traditionally romantic altar by Susan Tuttle, the author of Green Witch Magick, is so gorgeous. The deep red pomegranates and pink roses pop against the tapestry in the background and the dripping candle and crystal orb add to the fairytale aesthetic.
Want more Beltane magic? Grab our Sabbat guide.
13. Maximalist Altar
The altars by this witch are always over the top (in a very cool way). There seems to be something in each nook and cranny and even more that you don’t see on first glance.
