Nightnews-media ANNOUNCEMENT :: Press Release :: Beltane Fire Festival 2006 ::
Keep
the Fires Burning!

Contents
# Precis and contact details for more info including Press Passes
# Press Release :: The Event
# The Story
# The Society

Attachments and Downloads
# Annex 1 :: BFF2006 Further Infomation.doc
# Annex 2 :: BFF2006- Photos for Press .doc
# Nightnews Downloads for Annex 1 & 2
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Nightnews/files/bfs2006/
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/NightNews-Media/files/bfs2006/

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# Precis and contact details for more information

Beltane Fire Festival 2006
Sunday April 30th, Calton Hill, Edinburgh
9pm - 1am Priced £3.00

Advance tickets for this year's festival now available!
Priced £3.00 Online from http://www.beltane.org
or The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NE.
Tel: 0131 473 2000
Limited tickets are available on the night, at the higher price
of £5.00. Tickets on the night will only be available from the
Carriage Drive entrance to the hill.

Press Enquiries:
If you wish to do a feature article, for further info,
high resolution pictures, or press passes
(available until Friday 21st April 5pm)
contact :: Beltane Fire Society Press Office
press@...
Tel: Ceri Williams 07727 276 147

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# Press Release :: The Event

On the 30th of April, Beltane Fire Society celebrates the coming of
Summer with Edinburgh's 19th annual Beltane Fire Festival, on Calton
Hill.

Crowds of 12,000 will gather to witness this revival of the ancient
Celtic festival of Beltane. Three hundred voluntary performers will
celebrate the ending of winter and the season of new growth with
drumming, fire performance, revelry and a fantastical procession
around the hill. Providing a magical air of anticipation, and
world-renowned intense visual spectacle.

# The Story

The procession begins on the Acropolis where a neid fire is lit
by ancient methods using a bow drill. This flame lights the
torchbearers and reveals the May Queen, the mother aspect of
the triple goddess and Queen of the Summer. Leading the Horned
God and flanked by her White Warrior Women and the mighty
Processional drummers, the May Queen is guided by the Blue
Men, druidic spirit guides and her way is lit by the
torchbearers. The procession passes anti-clockwise around Calton
Hill, the May Queen awakening and uniting the elements of Air,
Earth, Water and Fire. When the circuit of the hill is almost
complete, the court is ambushed by the Red Men and their Beastie
Drummers - spirits from the underworld symbolising chaos, mischief
and lust. They are repelled by their opposites, the White Warrior
Women, representing truth, law and order. The celebrations reach
their climax as the Horned God; his lust stirred by the laviscious
Red Men, reaches out and touches the May Queen. He is stripped
of his winter coat and reborn as the Green Man, representing the
first new growth of the coming Summer. He is crowned by the May
Queen and they light a sacred bonfire to burn the old so we may
bring in the new. The festival ends with the coming together of
White and Red in a courtly dance symbolising the need for a
balance of both order and chaos.

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# The Society

The Beltane Fire Society is managed by a voluntary committee, and
all the performers are volunteers. All the costs of the event used
to be covered by fundraising events such as post-festival clubs,
and voluntary donations. Performers also commit large amounts of
time and money into producing their costumes, and props. The
rising cost of producing and insuring such a large and spectacular
event (now over £30,000) has led to ticketing the event being
necessary to cover some of the costs. However, as we currently
receive no public funding, ticketing alone does not fund the event
completely, and we are still seeking donations, putting on clubs
and pursuing other forms of fundraising to allow us to continue
with this spectacular and unique Scottish cultural event.

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For more information go to: http://www.beltane.org
contact :: Beltane Fire Society Press Office
press@...
Tel: Ceri Williams 07727 276 147

Attachments and Downloads
# Annex 1 :: BFF2006 Further Infomation.doc
# Annex 2 :: BFF2006- Photos for Press.doc
# Nightnews Downloads for Annex 1 & 2
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Nightnews/files/bfs2006/
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/NightNews-Media/files/bfs2006/

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End

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Nightnews distribution dated 10 04 2006
http://www.nightnews.net

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