One-of-a-kind Beltain festival returns to Butser Ancient Farm in Waterlooville

Marking the beginning of the summer in the Celtic calendar, Beltain was commemorated at Butser Ancient Farm in Waterlooville, with celebrations culminating in the burning of a 30ft tall wicker man. The festival at Butser is thought to be the only one of its kind in the UK.

The festival’s highlights included live music, a reenactment battle, traditional dancing, storytelling, and demonstrations from local craftsfolk.

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For the first time, this year Beltain also featured a unique cider blend by local brewers, created just for the festival. Visitors could also enjoy workshops and talks, and many crafted their own flower crowns from local foraged greenery.

Matilda Ferry-Swainson, spokeswoman for Butser Ancient Farm, said: ‘The festival is an opportunity to celebrate nature, community, and history. We were thrilled to see so many people gather to share the festival with us this year.’

The lighting of the Beltain bonfire was the main attraction of the festival, and drew a large crowd. This year’s wickerman design drew inspiration from the legend of the phoenix, and was hand-woven from thousands of strands of willow over the course of several months.

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It stood 30ft tall, and its wings raised up as if in flight before the burning began. Festivalgoers wrote wishes on paper to add to the bonfire, and enjoyed the spectacle of the fire being lit.

Organisers say the festival’s success demonstrates the enduring popularity of Celtic traditions in the UK, and highlights the importance of work done by museums like Butser Ancient Farm in preserving and reinvigorating this ancient cultural heritage. They added their gratitude to everyone who attended the festival and helped make it such a memorable occasion.

Butser Ancient Farm is an experimental archaeology museum dedicated to researching and recreating life from the Stone Age to the early Medieval period. Beltain Celtic Fire Festival is just one of the many events that take place at Butser Ancient Farm throughout the year, and raises money that enables the venue to continue its work in historical research and education.