LEICESTER:
The Beltane Spring Fayre Group, a not-for-profit voluntary group, will
stage a free multicultural May fair, in Castle Gardens, Leicester, on
Saturday, April 29.
A bicycle generator ridden by three cyclists will power the public
address system for the musicians.
Volunteer peddlers are needed between noon and 6pm. Also at the fair
will be Just Peace Leicester, a group of mostly Jewish people, who
believe a just peace settlement taking equal account of the needs
of ll people in Israel/Palestine must he sought.
Happy couple Paul and Greta will be handfasted in a pagan wedding
ceremony on the motte by a high priestess and high priest of the Wiccan
religion.
The Vikings of Middle England will give energetic re-enactment displays
in the gardens and will probably be grateful that real ale, mead and
wine will be served by Clarendon Park Offie at the event.
The event will open at noon with a blowing of horns on the
motte to welcome in the spring and to wake up the forces of nature. It
will close at 5pm at the maypole, though some attractions will remain
open until 6pm.
For details, contact Lesley Vann on 0116 270 4765.
Leicester
Mercury, TUESDAY,
APRIL 25,
2006
FIRST
PERSON
Pagans
will celebrate the spring festival of Beltane in Leicester on Saturday.
Lesley Vann explains why
Beltane
flames are special to Pagans like me
As
I believe in the sacredness of nature and that the Divine is present in
all things, I seek to attune to Her rhythms and honour the seasons. As
a Pagan I celebrate the eight seasonal festivals and on Mayday
celebrate Beltane, one of the four fire festivals.
Beltane is traditionally celebrated on the May 1. It
originates
over 2,000 years ago as a festival to mark the beginning of summer,
when cattle were driven between two ‘lucky’
bonfires before being led to summer pastures.
In recent centuries
people also passed through the Beltane flames for protection or
blessing.
In some places the embers were scattered over the
sprouting
crops. Pagans today regard Beltane as a celebration of fertility,
bestowing good luck on all aspects of life.
Long before the Mayday celebrations, with Maypole, garlands
and
dancing
became popular, the ancient fire festival of Beltane took place.
For modern-day pagans Beltane is one of eight seasonal
festivals
which
make up the ‘ritual year’.
Fire has always been seen as a purification agent and
traditionally all
domestic fires were extinguished on Beltane eve, having been kept lit
all year. Just before dawn folk would process to
the highest points and light fires made from nine of the woods
held sacred in Druidic lore.
These
included oak, ash, thorn, rowan, apple, birch, alder, maple, elm, holly
and others.
The protective powers of the magical
woods was thought to protect any who lit their households with their
flames.
Dancing round the bonfire was
seen as a way to be purified by it's flames and women wanting to become
pregnant would perform fertility dances at the
fireside. Dancing and singing the season in was
customary and records of May dances and songs can be found before
the 16th Century.
The union of couples 'blessed by
the gods' at this time were seen in the eyes of their community as
'greenwood marriages'.
If no pregnancy resulted they might dissolve
the partnership with no repercussions. This is the
origin of the 'year and a day' handfasting custom observed by modern
pagans.
We celebrate Beltane as a
festival of reawakening spring, of fertility, of love and sexuality,
of birth and regeneration.
At dawn women wash their faces in
dew to enhance beauty and health, while wells and sacred springs are
dressed with flowers.
At our May Fayre at Leicester Castle Gardens on Saturday
afternoon, as well as traditional characters such as
May Queen, Green Man, and Hobby Horse attending, we'll be conducting a
handfasting for Greta and Paul, wishing them all the best. Lesley Vann is a Dianic
Green Witch. She is currently chair of the
Beltane Spring Fayre Group.
Leicester
Mercury, MONDAY,
MAY 1, 2006
Crowds
enjoy all the fun of the fair
MAYPOLE
dancing and music attracted more than 2,500 people to a city
park.
The May Day Fair, in Castle Gardens, Leicester, included a
living history re-enactment of a Viking battle and a pageant with a May
Queen. Stallholders gave tarot readings and sold fair trade food,
with poetry and musical entertainment coming from an Indian drummer,
Egyptian dancers and a rapper.
The free event, on Saturday was held for the second year
running.
Tony Modinos, who helped organise the day, said that the
event had cost about £7,000 to run and that any profits made
from selling programmes and from stalls would go back into organising
next year's event.
He said: "Last year, we had about 2,000 people, but this
year we're getting a lot more. It's great to see so many different
groups and cultures
joining in with a celebration of a traditional event. The
event is
getting better and we're told it's one of the
bigger bank holiday events in the Leicester area."
Sophie Marsden, 28, of Braunstone, visited the fair with her
eight-year-old daughter Alice. She said: "We came along last year and
were so impressed by
the battle re-enactment and dancing, we decided to come back." Alice
said: "I liked the funny dancers and the bouncy
castle."
Davy Longo, 50, of Glenfield, said: "It's not the usual sort
of fair and there are all sorts of interesting things to see and do
during the day. It's a traditional celebration, which is
enjoyed
by people
of all backgrounds."
The event was organised by the Beltane Spring Fayre Group
and the Leicester Pagan Alliance.
LET THE FUN BEGIN:
Nigel Pennick, Anna Franklin, and Nick Tolladay blowing horns to mark
the opening of the May fair
PICTURE:
MIKE SEWELL /169579-5
Leicester
Mercury, THURSDAY,
APRIL 27,
2006
FREE
May Fayre
April
29th 12-6pm Castle Gardens Leicester
Powered by the bicycle generator
Pedallers
needed to keep the music going!
Dancing
round the Maypole, Indian and Egyptian dancers.
Family entertainment, Silvesta the Jester, Fuzzipegs
Bouncy castle, Ball pond for under 7s, Bookbus
May Queen and Green Man pageant, Magickal market
Sacred Space: Workshops, Talks, Labyrinth
Asian food, Soft drinks, Snacks, Real Ale, Parks talks
Vikings, eco-yurt, Poets and musicians.
Alternative Healers For more info Tel: 0116 270 4765
The Beltane Spring Fayre
Group
www.beltanefayre.org
