Way back when I was a young twenty-three year old, I had a magical Beltane experience.

I had only really known of the significance of Beltane for maybe a year. I started learning about Celtic mythology in my last year as an undergraduate. My understanding of Beltane is that it is the mid-way point between the spring equinox and summer solstice. It is also opposite in the year from Samhain and one of the two times in the year when the veils between this world and the Otherworld are much thinner than usual.

Bonfires were lit because it was the return of the light time of year. (Plus a good bonfire can make a celebration). Also, the spring planting would have already occurred and folk were waiting for their crops to get bigger and had more leisure time to celebrate and incorporate folk ways and traditions into their everyday lives (like maypole and Morris dancing.)

My magical Beltane experience began on I-5 while driving between Olympia and Seattle. A friend and I were going to see one of my favorite bands at that time – Living Color. I was driving and my friend was in the passenger seat when we came up on another friend of ours on the highway. We had to say hello while passing and my friend rolled down the window to do so. They chatted for a bit at 55 mph and then our friend passed us a bag while driving.

He had given us some extra special fungi from Oaxaca which offered us an epic musical experience filled with much light.

It will likely always be my most memorable Beltane.