A Witch’s Guide to Beltane Rituals To Try This Year

On the Wheel of the Year, Beltane represents the peak of spring’s fertility and the fiery transition into summer. Beltane is celebrated on May 1st — about halfway between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice — and is the pagan holiday of fertility, passion, and union.

The holiday is one of the original ancient Celtic fire festivals (the others are Imbolc, Samhain, and Lughnasadh) and was the time of the year when the townspeople walked their livestock between two bonfires as a ritual to bless them with health and fertility. Also, like at Samhain, it is the other time of the year when the veil is the thinnest, and it is a time to leave offerings for the Fae.

In more modern times (now that most of us don’t own cattle), the focus of the pagan holiday has become more focused around honoring the union of the divine feminine and masculine. This is honored in Wicca with the joining of the Green Man and the May Queen (or the horned god and the maiden). Modern Beltane rituals are primarily centered around around sensuality, decadence, love, and abundance.

This year, whether you’re jumping over a fire, dancing the Maypole, or leaving offerings for the Fae, Beltane invites you to embrace the pleasures of the season and the magic of new possibilities. Here are some ways to honor it.

Beltane Rituals and Traditions

1. Throw a Bonfire or Attend One

Beltane is best known for its sacred fires and there is still an annual Beltane fire festival held in Scotland every year. But if you have the space, it’s one of the holidays you might want to consider throwing one and gathering friends, family, or coven members to dance, drum, sing, and celebrate under the night sky. You can also use the fire for ritual burning of intentions for the coming months.

If you don’t have the space, but love that ritual concept, consider using a fire pit or setting up a circle of candles in a safe way outside your home.

2. Dance Around the Maypole

The maypole is one of the most iconic Beltane traditions. The symbolism of the Maypole has been debated by multiple scholars — some believe it symbolizes the world axis, others believe it’s a phallic symbol, others think it’s a reference to the World Tree.

For me, the maypole and the weaving together of colorful ribbons feels like a lovely way to symbolize the masculine and feminine energies and have some fun together with your community on the holiday. You can also make a small one for your altar if you don’t have space for a large one using a found branch and some ribbons.

3. Make a Flower Crowns

Making and wearing a flower crown is a simple way to honor the beauty and fertility of the earth at this time of year. Gather wildflowers and fresh blooms, and weave them into a crown to wear during your celebrations. Each flower can symbolize an intention—such as love with roses or joy with daisies. Here’s a step-by-step video showing you how to make your own.

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4. Leave an Offering for the Fae

Like a Samhain, Beltane is a time when the veil between worlds is the thinnest and a wise time to give offerings to the Fae and pay them respect. Traditional offerings included caudle (a spiced, custard-like dish) as well as milk, honey, and bread.

You might also consider creating a fairy garden and decorating it with flowers, tiny houses, and natural elements to attract them if you wish to work with them.

5. Spend the Day in Nature

Whether it’s a walk in the woods, lounging in a field of wildflowers, or sitting with your feet in a stream, Beltane is a great time to enjoy being in nature. But, I encourage you to be present and put your phone away while you do so so you can really soak it in. Reflect, breathe deeply, and notice the nature all around you.

6. Set Intentions

Most pagan holidays are a good time to set intentions. They mark a time of transition in nature and the beginning of a season or the time between two of them. Like with Full Moons, the energy is powerful. Just think about how many people out there are also sending out intentions and energy.

One way to do this ritual is to write down your desires for love, fertility, creativity, or prosperity on bay leaves and burn those in fire. That fire can be the bonfire you’re attending or a safe fire you’re burning on your altar. As you do so, visualize your intention taking root and growing in the months ahead. If you set intentions at Ostara, take a moment to reflect on how those are manifesting and if there’s anything you need to shift to make those a reality.

7. Go A-Maying

Now, I don’t want to get anyone in trouble with the local authorities. But, traditionally, Beltane was a time of “Going A-Maying.” This was when lovers disappeared into the fields on the night of April 30th and returned on May 1st with wildflowers and other greenery. I’ll let you guess what happened in the woods.

If you’re single or not in a space where you and your partner can run off into the fields or woods, use the holiday to engage in some romance, passion, or self-love, however you see fit.

8. Bless Your Garden with a Protection Spell

You might not have crops, but Beltane’s energy is perfect for blessing gardens, fields, or houseplants to encourage growth and fertility. Create a simple spell by walking through your garden and sprinkling consecrated water over your plants on them.

9. Set Up Your Beltane Altar

The Wheel of the Year holidays are good times to freshen up your altar. You can use them to reflect the energy of the season. For your Beltane altar, consider the colors or red, white, green, yellow, or pink and imagery such as antlers and a chalice. Or, use any symbols that reflect masculine and feminine energies for you.

10. Host a Feast or Cookout

Beltane is a time for joyful gatherings, making it perfect for a feast or cookout. Grilled meats, bannock bread, and dishes made with honey were all traditional for the holiday. As was enjoying a lot of mead. If you’re celebrating alone, treat yourself to a decadent, special meal that honors the season. Looking for Beltane recipes? Here are more than 50.

11. Crown a May Queen

The May Queen is a central figure in some Beltane celebrations, symbolizing the goddess in her fertile, life-giving aspect. She represents youth, beauty, renewal, and abundance, embodying the energy of spring at its peak.

In some traditions, she is seen as a human representation of the Earth Goddess, crowned with flowers and leading the festivities. Her counterpart is often the Green Man or the May King, representing the masculine energy of nature’s wild, untamed growth. Together, they symbolize the sacred union of divine energies that bring fertility and renewal to the land.

12. Take a Ritual Bath

A ritual bath infused with roses, jasmine, and lavender flowers is a wonderful way to cleanse and prepare for new growth. Set the mood with candles, soft music, and an intention to invite pleasure and abundance into your life. Want more Beltane magic? Grab our Sabbat guide.

13. Participate in a Handfasting

Beltane is a traditional time for handfasting, a sacred ceremony of commitment, love, and partnership. The ritual is an ancient Celtic tradition that’s continued into modern Wiccan and pagan practices.

In modern times, handfasting is often is often considered a spiritual or legally recognized union, symbolizing the deep connection between two souls. The ceremony is typically performed in nature, with ribbons or cords binding the couple’s hands together, representing the weaving of their lives into one.

14. Decorate Your Home with Flowers

Invite Beltane’s energy into your home by filling vases with fresh flowers or place them on your altar.

Traditional flowers for the holiday include:

• Rose
• Marigold
• Primrose
• Violet
• Daisy
• Lily of the Valley
• Foxglove
• Dandelion
• Peony
• Lavender

15. Perform Fertility Magic

Whether you’re focusing on physical, creative, or spiritual fertility, Beltane is a time for planting those seeds. Use candle magic, herbal spells, or meditation to channel this potent energy where you need it in your life.