Edinburgh’s Samhuinn Fire Festival 2023: When and where the parade is on, tickets and all you need to know

The parade which brings fire-play, bursts of drums and acrobatics to Holyrood Park is the perfect way to spend the spooky night.

Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park will be lit up once again this Halloween night as part of the ancient festival of Samhuinn. The colourful festival marks the transition from summer to winter with dazzling displays of fire-play, drumming and dance performances.

The modern twist on the Celtic celebration, which follows the story of the epic battle between the kings of summer and winter, is all overseen by the Celtic goddess Cailleach who decides each king’s fate and welcomes in the cold months.

Samhuinn, organised by charity the Beltane Fire Society, was traditionally celebrated to mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter and is considered one of the European ancestors to Hallowe'en and All Saints Day.

Photo: Vince Graham for Beltane Fire Society

Chair of Beltane Fire Society Sammi Searle said: “We are excited to announce The Beltane Fire Society’s Samhuinn Festival for 2023, set against the magnificent landscape of Holyrood Park. Our Samhuinn is a modern re-imagining of an ancient Celtic festival, marking the culmination of summer’s harvests and the birth of winter. This year is set to be an atmospheric spectacle exploring themes of death, rebirth and the magic that awaits in the dark Scottish nights.

"We are incredibly grateful to our creative and dedicated volunteers and collaborators who are spending these autumn days preparing and constructing the truly impressive array of characters, structures and performances you will encounter on the night. This is a community-created event like no other, where you will find otherworldly creatures, elemental forces, drumming and of course, fire, all overseen by the powerful Celtic crone goddess, The Cailleach. We can’t wait to see you there!”

When is the Samhuinn Fire Festival 2023: Date, times and location

Performers will march beneath Arthur’s seat in a spectacular display of fire-play and acrobatics alongside a host of ‘otherworldly’ creatures. The parade takes place on Tuesday, October 31 from 7pm to 10pm.

Do you need tickets for Samhuinn Fire Festival 2023? How to book

Tickets for the festival are on sale now and available to book in advance only. You can book on the Samhuinn website.

Entry for adults is £8.88 and for under 16s, it is £6.73. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Complimentary companion tickets are available for carers.

Safety guidance

For safety, people have been advised to stay out of performance and production areas, which will be marked out with either ropes, barriers or fences with signs including white lines on the grass. Festival goers are asked to observe a two metres minimum distance from performers moving or performing with fire.

Organisers have asked that directions given by stewards and technical crew be followed at all times and medical assistance is on hand at the top car park. Organisers have stressed that people are not to attempt to touch or play with fires. Volunteers who do so have trained for months to prepare for the event.

Standing and ground conditions

The event takes place at night time and due to the location it can be very dark so it’s worth bringing a torch, wearing comfortable shoes and moving around the site slowly.

No seating is provided but festival goers are welcome to bring camping chairs. Anyone bringing seats is asked to follow the instructions of the stewards and security. Organisers stress that there are some areas and times for which chairs may not be appropriate. Full picnic and dining sets are not allowed at the event. Anyone bringing seats should make sure they are taken away when they leave.

For details of special access arrangements including carer tickets and booking prearranged vehicle/taxi drop off to the top of the hill you can contact [email protected]

Families and children

Under 16s are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult with a ticket. Organisers advise parents and guardians to note that the event contains semi-nudity and ‘uninhibited behaviour’.

For safety, adults will be asked for their name and number at the box office. Children will be given a wristband to wear with those details on them.

Food and drink

Attendees are welcome to bring their own food and drink to the event but no glass bottles/containers are permitted. Security can refuse entry if people bring an excessive quantity of alcohol. There will also be local businesses serving a selection of food and drinks with vegan options available.

Toilet facilities

Some event toilets will be provided near to the entrance at Horse Wynd and there will also be a stewarded wheelchair accessible Portaloo located in the welfare/first aid area, beside the ambulance.

Event map and timings

The event map for the Samhuinn Fire Festival has yet to be released. All updates are set to be announced on the Beltane website.