Beltane 2026

Sat 2 May, 1-5pm

Garden energies, from sun to soil…

Join us for a joyful and exuberant May Day in the garden!

Mark the arrival of summer with family activities, outdoor workshops and creative happenings as we celebrate Beltane 2026. As the days get longer and warmer, the garden is buzzing with energy, and we can’t wait to revel in the spirit of summer.

• Explore solar energies through plant-based photography with Miriam Ali
• Create ceramic offerings and invoke a good harvest with Khadea Santi
• Sing, dance and celebrate the magic of fruit and veg with The BarrowBand
• Unfurl into summer with a playful garden yoga session for all with Jo Jackson
• Learn to care for the fertility of our land with a biochar burn demonstration
• Browse and borrow books for all ages from the Wee Anti-Racist Library
• Let Rhiannon Moore paint your face in honour of the May Queen & Green Man
• Weave a flower crown with willow, dogwood and other greenery from the garden
• Bring a picnic and add cake, coffee and sandwiches from Machair Bakery, EH9 and 123 Cup of Tea

Come along and explore, create and have fun with us!

Our event is a nod to the ancient fire ritual of Beltane, one of four festivals we host annually to create connections to the cycles of nature and to celebrate the turning of the Celtic wheel. During Beltane, the energies of the earth are at their most potent, bursting with life and growth. Expect a sprinkle of magic and wonder!

About the contributors

• Miriam Ali is a visual artist, and workshop facilitator from Glasgow. Her photography and workshop practices draw on research methods including archive, interview and field work, exploring the intersections of communities, land relations, sense of place, and memory.
• Khadea Santi is an artist interested in storytelling and embodied knowledge, exploring these themes through various media, including writing, ceramics and sound. She supports communities to make work through understanding mutual interests and what stories have yet to be told.
• Rhiannon Moore has been face painting for over 20 years at various events and festivals around Scotland. Her style is based on carnival and Japanese theatre – and this year at Beltane will create seasonal designs that honour the may queen and the green man.
• Mellow Belly Yoga‘s Jo Jackson believes that yoga can help us come home to ourselves, each other, and the more-than-human world.  Her classes draw from the full breadth of the yogic discipline, including philosophy, breathwork, meditation and postural practice. 
• The BarrowBand was founded by Malcolm Le Maistre with a mission: to spread love for fruit and vegetables. The multi-instrumentalist band have performed all over the UK, created workshops for children, and released hit songs like “Broccoli,” “Brussels Sprouts,” “Kiwis,” “Bananas,” and “Asparagus”.
• Wee Anti-Racist Library is a local community-run lending library centring books by global majority authors for children and young people, as well as for adults. The books explore various themes around anti-racism, community, solidarity, and mutual aid.

Schedule

• 1pm: Garden open!
• 1-5pm: Face-painting and wreath making
• 1-4pm: Add to your picnic with cake, sandwiches and coffee with Machair Bakery, 123 Cup of Tea and EH9
• 1:15-2pm: Garden yoga with Jo Jackson
• 2-2:45pm: Performance by The BarrowBand
  1-5pm: Photo-making with Miriam Ali
• 1-2:30pm: Pebble decorating with Khadea Santi
• 2:30-5pm: Pebble firing with Khadea Santi
• 3-4pm: Biochar burn demonstration with Helena Simmons
• 3-5pm: Wee Anti Racist Library pop-up
• 4:15-5pm: Performance by The BarrowBand
• 5pm: close of event