Sunday 15th - Saturday 21st June 2025

Welcome to

Peebles Beltane Festival

Timetable
News

About Peebles Beltane Festival

Peebles Beltane Festival is a cherished, vibrant tradition that brings the town of Peebles in the Scottish Borders alive every June. It’s not only a celebration of local heritage, but also a cornerstone of the town’s cultural identity.

The Beltane Principals

The Beltane Principals are at the heart of Peebles Beltane Festival, and they carry deep symbolic, civic, and ceremonial importance. These individuals, drawn from the local community, are selected with care and pride to represent Peebles during the week-long celebrations. Each has a defined role steeped in tradition, with duties that span from ceremonial appearances to community leadership during the festival.

The Rideouts

The rideouts are a traditional mounted procession led by the Cornet and joined by many — sometimes hundreds — of riders. In the Scottish Borders, rideouts are a cherished part of Common Riding and festival culture, dating back centuries. Originally, these were practical events, checking the town boundaries to guard against encroachment, but today they are largely ceremonial and symbolic. In Peebles the rideouts are central to Beltane Week, and they reflect the town’s pride, history, and rural heritage.

The Fancy Dress Contest and Parade

The Fancy Dress Contest and Parade are among the most anticipated events of Peebles Beltane Festival. These festivities take place on the Friday evening and showcase the town's vibrant community spirit, with participants of all ages donning imaginative costumes - often weeks or months in the making - and joining the lively procession through the streets of Peebles.

Latest from The Beltane Blog

News and Updates about Peebles Beltane Festival

Galashiels ride – Lindean

Tonight saw Cornet's Lass Caitlin Hamilton with her support Rianna Sterricks taking part in the Galashiels Lindean rideout.

Item Returns

We hope everyone had a great Beltane. It was great to see the town turned red and white and the work that had gone into house decorations. The Beltane hut will be open this Thursday 26th and Friday 27th June, from 6:30pm until 9pm, for returns.

UPDATED: Crowning Ceremony – Warm Weather Decision

After careful consideration, following the slightly cooler start to the day, and the predicted cloud cover in the next couple of hours, the decision has been taken to revert to the church steps for the ceremony. Suitable actions will be taken to encourage children to sit whenever they can and a water will be available for all of them.

Peebles Beltane Festival on ITV News

Clare McNeill's piece on ITV Border this evening, covering last night’s Riding of the Marches.

Gallery

Peebles Beltane Festival Images