Beltaine Recap

Beltaine sparkle outfit

So as you may know, The Kunnings headed up to Wolf Creek, Oregon to a Radical Faerie sanctuary for Beltaine- as we have done for the last three or so years. The Beltaine celebration there is traditional, from a Witchcraft perspective, and the land is beautiful, sacred, and where our son Rowan was conceived. So we look forward to going each year.

This year, we were up for a little over three days- We arrived Friday morning and left Monday afternoon. It was a whirlwind weekend, as Friday there was a wedding, Saturday was Walpurgisnacht, and Sunday was Beltaine- each event with its own special preparation and celebration.

Wedding cakes!

While I was not part of the official prep for the wedding, I was honored to attend. The love the two involved share is obvious and they are a couple that is tied to this land and community, which made this wedding an amazing blessing to witness and be a part of. The feast afterwards was amazing- see the little cupcakes we had in the barn afterwards? Yum.

Walpurgisnacht requires removing last year's maypole, transporting it to the fire pit, preparing it and the firepit for a loooong bonfire (the pole from the previous year must be ashes before the new one is used), and then starting the bonfire shortly after supper. To do it properly and with the right kind of reverence takes time.

This year's maypole.

Beltaine means going out and finding the right tree, felling it, stripping it and preparing the ribbons. Then when the festivities start, it is carried in a loud, joyous procession to Maypole Meadow and placed in a newly dug hole. Then a new May Queen is found, the old one passes the torch, and we begin the festivities in earnest.

Monday was a time for sad good byes and trying to find everyone before we left- there are some folks we only see at the sabbat! How did you celebrate Beltaine?