2026 Beltaine Ritual
When two fires meet, something new and greater is born.
What is Beltaine?
Beltaine is the peak of spring, the moment when opposing forces join together to create something neither could make alone. The cliche is that Beltaine is a fertility rite, but at Weavers we make it something more. This is a celebration of deliberate joining, when your energy is woven into something bigger than yourself.
This year, we walk the path of Frey and Gerð and their story of a love that began with longing, stumbled through fear, and was sealed with choice. You'll choose the mysteries you will explore (projective, receptive, or beautiful seed), make your commitments, and weave your ribbon into the Maypole alongside your community.
With the bonfire as witness, the magick of the cords to hold fast, and the feast to celebrate, Beltaine is always a night to remember.
Bonfire Ritual
Stoke your inner heart fires as we stoke the bonfire flames at our first outdoor ritual of the year.
Maypole Dancing
No, NOT THAT KIND OF POLE DANCING, WAIT!
Community Feast
Bring your own contributions as we share food around the fire after ritual.
Celebrating the Sabbats
since 2018
Join us in person at Fenner or online via Zoom/YouTube
Schedule
If the weather is fine, we can hang out all day!
12:00pm
Volunteer arrival time: help unload the trailer and set up the ritual space. Want to help? Contact us to sign up.
Fenner has plenty of trails and woods to explore. Hang out in the woods, bring games and instruments to play, crafts to work on, good conversation to share. This is your afternoon to just be with your community.
1:00pm
Gates officially open! Raffle tickets go on sale. Settle in, claim your spot, and enjoy the afternoon.
4:00pm
Zoom call opens; we'll keep it running through ritual, longer if online folks want to hang out.
Frey and Gerð aren't the only ones celebrating a union on Beltaine!
5:00pm
Circle is cast and the story begins. Come early!
After ritual
The feast begins. We'll provide a basic meal; you provide the extra as the spirit moves.
7:30pm
Raffle drawing. All proceeds from our raffle tickets benefit the Temple Fund.
Volunteers: We'll start teardown after the raffle is done. What comes down the hill must go back up!
9:00pm
The gates close until we return for Litha
Free Handfastings at Beltaine!
This is the one time each year you can get married at Weavers for free. If you'd like to make or renew handfasting or marriage vows, contact Lord Solinox in advance for more details.
What to Bring:
- Your own seating (chairs, blankets, cushions — you'll be here a while!)
- Warm layers — it's May in Michigan, dress for anything
- Sunscreen. For the love of the gods, sunscreen.
- Bug repellant
- Food and drink for feast time: to keep everybody safe, please have ingredients labeled or ready to fill out
- Payment for raffle tickets and donations
- Items in good condition in need of a new home, for raffle
- Drums, rattles, or other instruments if you have them
- Outdoor games, anything you enjoy outside
- An open heart and something you're ready to commit to
What to Expect:
- A full afternoon and evening in the woods around a bonfire — come early, stay late
- Active participation: all observers of WISE-tradition rituals are participants within the circle. No experience needed; all are welcome.
- A psychodrama retelling of the myth of Frey and Gerð where you become part of the story
- An opportunity to choose between projective, receptive, and seed mysteries
- Maypole dancing with drums
- A community feast
- Kids welcome with parent or guardian
Getting There & Accessibility
The Fenner Center scout campground is accessed via a driveway on Mount Hope, just east of the main Fenner entrance. Look for our signs along the street. All attendees must park at in the gravel lot at the entrance and walk the trail down to the campsite. No vehicle access is available on the trail for anyone, including drop-offs.
We know this is a real barrier for some of our community, and we're sorry. The trail is gravel and slopes downhill, and the campsite itself is mowed grass with some uneven terrain. If mobility is a concern, please reach out to Lord Solinox directly. We will do everything we can to help you get there, including arranging people to assist with the walk and carrying your gear in.
Fresh water and a pit toilet are available on site. Limited benches are available; we strongly recommend bringing your own chairs.
This is one of the biggest reasons we're building toward our own space. Our Temple Project will give us an accessible, permanent home for rituals like this, with flat ground, safe parking, and accessible facilities. Every donation to our Temple fund brings that closer to reality.
Can't Make It in Person?
Our main ritual will be available by YouTube livestream and on Zoom, so you can celebrate with us from wherever you are.
For the best at-home experience, set up your own ritual space before circle time. Candles, incense, deity representations, elemental tools, whatever you have. Have food and drink ready for cakes and ale and the feast. This is optional, but it helps you feel part of the ritual instead of just watching it.
Online attendees are welcome to participate in the raffle! We'll give a video tour of the raffle table after the ritual, and online tickets can be purchased by PayPal donation.
Practical Details
The Fenner Center scout campground — NOT the main Fenner Center building. The entrance is a separate driveway on Mount Hope just east of the main Fenner entrance. We'll have signs to follow.
At the top of the driveway. Everyone walks the gravel trail down to the site. No vehicle access on the trail for anyone.
Please reach out to Lord Solinox directly. We'll coordinate help carrying your gear and assist with the walk in. We want you there!
We'll provide a basic meal. You may also bring your own and optionally food to share. Great Beltaine fare includes things like honey cakes, strawberries, eggs, asparagus, lamb, shortbread, oatcakes with butter and honey, chocolate, all abundant and sweet things. Cooking over the fire is welcome after the ritual.
Severe weather plan: We move to Keys To Manifestation (809 Center St., Suite 7A, Lansing) if a severe weather alert is issued or winds exceed 20 mph. Light rain? We stay. This is an outdoor ritual in Michigan; plan for the possibility of getting wet or chilly.
Always. Weavers sabbat rituals are free, every time. Donations help cover our space and materials and grow our Temple fund for the future permanent home for rituals like this.
Help Us Build a Home for This
Our rituals are always free. But the gravel trail, the pit toilet, the "no parking in the field" — that's not forever. Every donation to our Temple fund brings us closer to a permanent, accessible home where rituals like Beltaine can happen the way they deserve to.