In Scotland folk festivals are not the thing of the past. We still celebrate the two major festivals of Bealtainn and Samhuinn with street performances in Edinburgh. But all over Scotland festivals of the folk calendar can still be found such as Up Helly YA in Shetland and the Burryman in South Queensferry and the Riding the Marches and so many many more examples. However, neopagan and nu-age thinking has corrupted some of the amazing poetry that these events have and its great to be able to have a space to reflect on their original meaning outside of any particular religious perceptions and look at the meaning these festivals held for the folk of Scotland.
