Beltane: The Festival of Fire and Fertility

Beltane is a Celtic fire festival and pagan holiday that falls between the Spring Equinox (Ostara) and the Summer Solstice (Litha) on the modern Wheel of the Year. Beltane is celebrated on May 1st in the Northern Hemisphere, and it marked the beginning of summer in ancient Gaelic culture.

Historically, the pagan sabbat has ancient Celtic roots — like the other fire festivals Imbolc, Samhain, and Lughnasadh. It was celebrated with large bonfires, livestock blessings, and community rites meant to protect the land and encourage fertility. The name Beltane (pronounced Bel-tain or Bel-ten-ah) comes from Old Irish Beltene, often translated as “bright fire.”

In modern times, Wiccans and neo-pagans have incorporated Beltane into the Wheel of the Year, often emphasizing themes of fertility, sacred union, and celebration of nature’s peak energy. While the sacred union of the God and Goddess and dancing around the maypole were not part of the original Celtic rites, they are common in contemporary observances, blending historical inspiration with modern spiritual practice.

For those interested in celebrating Beltane today, here are some rituals, recipes, and altar ideas to get you started.

The History of Beltane

Beltane is one of the four major fire festivals of the ancient Gaelic calendar, alongside Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh. Its earliest mentions appear in medieval Irish literature, including the Tochmarc Emire “The Wooing of Emer,” where it’s associated with significant seasonal transitions and agricultural rites.

Also known in Old Irish as Cétshamhain, meaning “first of summer,” Beltane (sometimes spelled Beltaine and Bealltainn) marked the moment when communities drove their cattle from sheltered winter grounds to fresh summer pastures. The holiday traditionally fell around early May, likely closer to May 5 or 6 based on the astronomical midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice.

At its core, Beltane — like the other three Celtic fire festivals — was primarily a practical agricultural and seasonal holiday. It signaled the start of the growing season and the movement into a time of abundance—if all went well. Cattle were central to life in ancient Ireland, and Beltane rites focused on protecting herds and ensuring their fertility and survival. Large bonfires were kindled, and people and livestock would pass between them for purification and protection. Household hearths were extinguished and relit from the communal Beltane fire.

From The Wooing of Emer:

To Beldine, i.e. Beltine, viz., a favouring fire. For the druids used to make two fires with great incantations, and to drive the cattle between them against the plagues, every year. Or to Beldin, viz., Bel the name of an idol. At that time the young of every neat were placed in the possession of Bel.

Regarding Bel, the idea that Beltane was named for the god Bel/Belenus appears in reinterpretations and 19th-century folklore collections. But most modern Celtic scholars treat the fact that Bel is an idol from the passage above as plausible-sounding, but not historically confirmed. The festival likely predates the association with Belenus and was originally named for the bright/purifying fire itself, not a deity.

What About the Fae?

Later, folklore from the early modern period (16th–18th centuries) began to associate the day with the Otherworld and the fae. Like Samhain—its seasonal opposite on the Wheel of the Year—Beltane came to be seen as a liminal time, when the veil between worlds grew thin.

In Scottish and Irish traditions, it was believed that the fae were especially active on Beltane night and offerings were sometimes left at sacred wells, thresholds, or under hawthorn trees to honor or appease these unpredictable spirits, and protective charms were used to ward off mischief. These beliefs layered spiritual meaning atop the festival’s agricultural roots and continue to influence modern pagan Beltane celebrations, where fae folklore plays a prominent role.

How May Day and Beltane Became Intertwined

What you might notice is that most of the rituals and celebrations we associate with Beltane today weren’t a part of those ancient festivals. Those actually come from a different tradition altogether, one known as May Day.

May Day is a holiday celebrated on May 1 that emerged in medieval and early modern Europe, especially in England, Germany, and Scandinavia, as a rural, secular celebration of spring. It featured maypoles, flower garlands, May Queens, and outdoor revelry—all symbols of nature’s blossoming.

It was likely influenced by the Roman holiday of Floralia, dedicated to Flora, the goddess of flowers, fertility, and spring. That holiday involved lovemaking, plays, and general hedonism. (Also known as pretty much every other day in Rome.)

Years later, in the mid-20th century, with the rise of Wicca and neo-paganism, practitioners began reviving and reorganizing ancient festivals into the Wheel of the Year. Beltane was assigned to May 1st and became a fusion rooted in the ancient agricultural fire festival, but embellished with European May Day customs that emphasized joy, sensuality, and community gathering.

The Meaning of Beltane Today

In Wiccan traditions, Beltane is a celebration of sacred union—the merging of divine masculine and feminine energies that bring life and vitality to the earth. In Wicca, this union is often symbolized by the Goddess and the God, whose love and connection ignite the fertility of the season.

At Beltane, the Goddess is in her Maiden aspect: joyful, wild, blossoming with possibility. She is sometimes represented as the May Queen, crowned in flowers and associated with growth, sensuality, and the blossoming of nature.

The May Queen’s counterpart is the God, who appears as the Green Man or Horned God. The Green Man is an ancient symbol of nature’s wild, untamed forces—his face made of leaves, vines, and branches. He represents the raw creative energy of the earth, the spirit of the forest, and the cycles of death and rebirth that sustain life.

The Horned God, another form of the masculine divine in Wicca, encompasses not only virility and the hunt, but also protection and balance. At Beltane, he is often seen in his youthful, virile form, pursuing the Goddess in a symbolic courtship that culminates in their sacred union.

This divine coupling is more than myth—it’s a metaphor for the creative spark that brings new life into the world. Their union represents the generative forces of nature, but also the balance between light and dark, sun and earth, masculine and feminine—each vital to the turning of the seasons and the sustaining of life.

Many modern Beltane rituals re-enact this sacred joining through symbolic acts: intertwining ribbons on the maypole, lighting candles, sharing food and drink in a feast of love and abundance, and getting intimate with one another.

Beltane Symbols and Colors

Whether you’re building a seasonal altar, hosting a May Day celebration, or simply welcoming the energy of late spring into your home or sacred space, Beltane is full of rich, symbolic imagery. This sabbat honors fertility, fire, and the blossoming of life—so the items you choose should reflect passion, vitality, and connection to nature.

Beltane correspondences to consider for your altar or home:

• Colors: Red, green, pink, yellow, blue, white, lavender
• Flowers: Rose, daisy, lilac, marigold, sunflowers, cowslips, elderflowers
• Herbs: Mint, yarrow, thyme, and mugwort
• Food: Honey, mead, grilled meats, dairy products, red fruits and vegetables
• Crystals and Stones: Pillar crystals or wands in yellow jasper, citrine, carnelian, or rose quartz
• Animals: Rabbits, swans, dove, swallow, leopard, cows, bees

Other Beltane symbols include:

Maypole: A powerful fertility symbol, the maypole represents the union of the God and Goddess. Winding ribbons around it symbolizes the intertwining of masculine and feminine energy. You can construct a full-sizes on or make a miniature one for your altar.

Bonfires and Candles: Beltane is one of the great fire festivals, and fire represents purification, transformation, and passion. If you can’t make a bonfire, consider using candles to represent this energy.

Flower Crowns: The flower crown is a symbol of fertility, beauty, and the blossoming of life. Worn during Beltane celebrations, it represents the connection to nature’s cycles and honors the vitality of the season. In many traditions, it also echoes the image of the May Queen, embodying springtime joy, sensuality, and the divine feminine.

Fae Symbology: Images or statues of fae or bells, mirrors, shiny stones, hawthorn, and small offerings to invite or honor the Otherworld realm.

Here are some Beltane altars set up by other witches to inspire your own.

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What Are Beltane’s Recipes and Foods?

Beltane foods celebrate the abundance and fertility of the land as it bursts into full bloom. Many traditional dishes reflect what would have been available to agrarian Celtic communities in late spring, with an emphasis on dairy, honey, fresh greens, and fire-cooked meats.

• Bannock Bread: A traditional Scottish flatbread often cooked over an open fire and served with butter or honey.
• Caudle: A warm, spiced drink made from milk, eggs, and ale or wine.
• Dairy: Milk, butter, and cheese are all associated with fertility and the richness of the season. Use them in cooking or as offerings for the fae.
• Grilled Meats: Meats like lamb, goat, or beef are often cooked over open flame, honoring Beltane’s fire symbolism.
• Honey and Mead: Sweet offerings that symbolize the pleasures of life and abundance.
• Wild-Foraged Greens and Berries: Nettles, dandelion greens, and other seasonal produce bring in the wild energy of the land.
• Red Fruits: Strawberries, cherries, and raspberries reflect love, vitality, and the color of Beltane’s fiery energy.

Here are more than 50 easy Beltane recipes you can make for the holiday.

How to Celebrate Beltane

Modern Pagan and Wiccan Beltane celebrations focus on joy, fertility, connection to the earth, and honoring the sacred union of the God and Goddess. It’s a time to light fires, make merry, and embrace the blossoming energy of the season.

While some attend community festivals like the the annual Beltane Fire Festival in Scotland that celebrates with drumming, dancing, and theatrical reenactments, you can also honor the holiday as a solitary practitioner or at home with friends or family.

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Here are some Beltane celebration ideas:

• Dance around a maypole. Traditionally, dancers weave ribbons around a tall pole in celebration of fertility and union. If a full-size maypole isn’t practical, create a miniature one for your altar as a symbol of balance between the divine masculine and feminine.
• Make and wear flower crowns: Use wildflowers, daisies, roses, and other blooms and greens to honor the abundance of nature and the May Queen. Ribbons or lace can add to the festive feeling of the crown.
• Spend the day in nature. Take a walk, garden, go on a picnic, or simply bask in the sunlight.
• Leave an offering for the fae. Beltane is believed to be one of the times when the veil between worlds is thin, and the fae are active. Leave small offerings—like honey, cream, or caudle—at the base of a tree.
• Host a bonfire or candle ritual. Gather friends, light a fire or candles, and share food, laughter, and wishes for the season and pay homage to the original rites.
• Bake Beltane recipes. Try making bannock cakes, honeyed bread, or dishes using fresh dairy, grilled meats, or red fruits.
• Make seasonal cocktails. Celebrate the sweetness and fizz of life with seasonal drinks. Elderflower, associated with fae magic and feminine energy, is perfect for this sabbat.
• Go A-Maying: Beltane honors desire and creation—whether that’s expressed through intimacy, dancing, creativity, or simple enjoyment of your senses. Take time to indulge in what brings you pleasure.

Here are more Beltane rituals to consider.

Sources and Further Reading

The Encyclopedia of Celtic Myth and Folklore by Patricia Monaghan
The Pagan Book of Days: A Guide to the Festivals, Traditions, and Sacred Days of the Year by Nigel Pennick
“Beltane Is About More Than Fire and Fertility” by Gemma Tarlach
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham
Beltane Rituals: Springtime Rituals, Lore, and Celebration by Raven Grimassi