Peebles Beltane Festival is a magical, meaningful celebration that honours ancient traditions while embracing community, youth, and joy. For a week in June, Peebles becomes a stage for ceremony, parade, laughter, and remembrance. It’s a time when the town looks both forward and back - keeping its heart in the Borders and its eyes on summer skies.

The Festival draws its name from the ancient Celtic Beltane (or Bealtaine) festival, traditionally held around May the 1st to mark the beginning of summer. Beltane was a fire festival that symbolised purification and transition, often involving bonfires, rituals, and the symbolic union of male and female energies to ensure fertility and prosperity for the coming season.

In Peebles this ancient tradition evolved over time. While the festival’s modern form was formalised in 1897, there are references to older customs celebrating summer and local historical traditions. The Peebles version became a unique civic celebration, distinct from both the Beltane Fire Festivals you might find in Edinburgh and the Common Ridings of other Borders towns, though it shares similarities with both.

At its heart, Peebles Beltane Festival celebrates the arrival of summer, community spirit, historical continuity, and youth and leadership, especially through the crowning of the Beltane Queen.

The festival showcases the youth of the town, as school pupils take central roles, and the Beltane Queen is a symbolic figure who presides over the festivities, representing purity, hope, and community pride.

The inclusion of mounted cavalcades, symbolic figures like the Warden of Neidpath, and processions also give a nod to the town's medieval and feudal past.

The Beltane Festival, held annually in June, is organised by Peebles March Riding and Beltane Queen Festival Committee. The "March Riding" relates to the historic practice of checking the boundaries of the burgh 'common lands''. The word 'march' was used to denote a boundary, or border, and a 'border district' - used chiefly in the plural - 'marches.

'Riding the Marches' refers to "a ceremony of riding round the bounds of a municipality" The 'Festival' element has its links with the medieval custom of holding an annual sale or fayre, which in many cases was the only 'holiday' in existence for most of the workers, and also has links to the old customs of welcoming the advent of summer.

In 1897, to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, Peebles Town Council held a Riding of the Marches. It was decided to resurrect this as an annual event.

In 1899, to widen this and involve young people, the Crowning of the Beltane Queen was introduced, and over the years this has grown into a colourful Pageant, - which maintains its origins related to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

The Riding of the Marches is carried out by the Cornet, as a worthy representative of the town, and his two Supporters, accompanied by a mounted cavalcade. Nominations for the position of Cornet are invited annually by the Committee, and it is a great honour to be appointed as Cornet.

In 1929, another ceremony was introduced, which replaced an informal welcome to the Cornet which had taken place for many years at Edderston Farm during the Riding of the Marches.

It was decided to welcome the Cornet at Neidpath Castle, and local GP, Dr. Gunn, as "Warden of the Marches", welcomed the Cornet and gave an 'Address' to the assembled public.

In 1930, a Sunday Commemoration Service was held, open-air, at the grounds of the old Cross Kirk, led by Dr. Clement Gunn.

In 1931, the week's ceremonies commenced with the "Warden of the Trinity Friars" (Dr. Gunn) delivering the Commemorative Oration at the Cross Kirk. In later years, the open-air ' Inaugural Service', organised by a member of the Beltane Festival Committee, involves the majority of the local Clergy, with the position as Warden of the Cross Kirk selected by the Committee, but rotating on an annual basis.

These positions still exist today, but known as Warden of Neidpath and Warden of Cross Kirk respectively.

Selection of the Solicitor who will have the honour of Proclaiming the Beltane Fair "instantly to begin", and "Crying' the Burgh Bounds, is generally rotated around the members of the local legal practices, with occasional exceptions. Prior to reorganisation of local government in the 1970s, this role had always been carried out by the Town Clerk, or his Depute.

An honour for the ladies is to be selected to crown the Beltane Queen as the Crowning Lady. Nominations for the positions of Warden of Neidpath and Crowning Lady are invited from the public.

The position of Beltane Queen and First Courtier traditionally went to the Dux Girl and Dux Boy at Kingsland School, and the pupils were aged around fourteen years. With changes to the school system in 1937, pupils left Kingsland after Primary Seven to go to the High School, and the Beltane Court children from 1938 came from Primary Seven, still at Kingsland. With the demise of Dux positions, and the addition of Priorsford Primary School in the early 1970s, the system had to be changed, and all three primary schools then became involved.

Selection of the Beltane Queen and The Court was formerly undertaken for the Beltane Committee by local School Teachers, still retaining elements of its original basis by consideration of school performance and academic attainment, together with non-academic qualities, such as participation in sports, youth groups and other extra-curricular activities.

In recent years, the selection process was changed. Parents were asked to indicate in advance if agreeable to their children taking part. Potential Court aspirants completed the equivalent of a CV Form, with the Forms 'anonymised' by the Head Teachers before being passed to the Beltane Committee.

In 2022, in liaison with the Head Teachers of the Primary Schools, the Court Selection process has been further amended. A questionnaire is now issued to pupils to take home for completion by the pupils with parental knowledge and agreement to take part in the festival.

When the selections have been completed, pupils from each school assemble together, at which time the names of the children for positions in the Beltane Court are announced, culminating with the names of the First and second Courtiers, the Chief Maid of Honour, and the Beltane Queen.

The Cornet-Elect is installed at an Installation Ceremony on the Wednesday evening of Beltane Week. The Cornet chooses the Cornet's Lass to accompany him on his rideouts, plus visits to other Common Ridings and Festivals.

He has two Supporters, and the method of appointment has varied over the years. For a time, potential Cornets were selected as Supporters first, thus gaining some knowledge and experience of what is involved, though some did not move up to Cornetship, for various reasons.

The current system sees a person appointed as Cornet, with previous Cornets acting as his Supporters. The new Cornet then normally progresses to Right Hand Supporter, Left Hand Supporter, then to Lasses, along with the Marshall, dancing the Cornet's Reel, (an Eightsome Reel).

After his Installation, the Cornet leads a mounted cavalcade on the Riding of the Marches. At various points at or near the periphery of the town, the Proclaimer of Beltane Fair also 'Cries' the 'Burgh Bounds', which also refer to related rights of way at these locations.

The Friday evening (the 'Nicht afore the Morn’) is when the fruits of much secret preparation are revealed at the Fancy Dress Contest on Tweed Green.

In 1907, a fancy-dress 'cycle parade' was organised by Peebles Rovers Football Club, with the two local Bands accompanying the cyclists around the town. Though not strictly in connection with the March Riding, the Fancy Dress Cycle Parade came to be held on the eve of the March Riding, and in later years was fully integrated with the festivities.

Now the Fancy Dress Contest and Fancy Dress Parade is a tremendous spectacle, with support and participation from all ages and quarters of the town.

On Saturday morning, the Officials, Principals and invited guests assemble at the Mercat Cross in time to view the children, dressed as 'Characters of the Festival', parading past on their way to the Parish Church for the Crowning Ceremony.

The 'Proclamation of Beltane Fair takes place at the Mercat Cross, and the Cornet is awarded his Cornet's Medal.

Thereafter, the Peebles Burgh Silver Band , together with the Ex-Servicemen's Pipe Band , leads the Official Party and guests along High Street, to where the gaily costumed children are in place on the steps of the Old Parish Church.

The Cornet escorts the Beltane Queen's coach to the Church Steps. The dignified procedures of the Crowning Ceremony then take place, and the spectacle has to be seen to be appreciated.

The official ceremonies for the week come to a close on the Saturday evening as the Bands Beat Retreat on High Street. Different Bands are invited each year, often including Military Bands.