The Museum of Witchcraft

The Wheel of the Year

The Ancient Festivals

In contemporary witchcraft the witch's year is divided into eight major festivals. These festivals mark the passage of the Sun through the year and relate directly to the agricultural cycle. The wheel also represents the continuity of life, death and renewal.

Yule or Winter Solstice
Imbolc
Vernal Equinox
Beltane
Summer Solstice
Lammas
Autumnal Equinox
Samhain

Mid Winter's day - 21st December
Candlemas - 1st February
On or about 20th March
May Day - 1st May
Mid Summer's day - 21st June
1st August
On or about 23rd September
Halloween - 31st October

Many of the old festivals have been adopted by the Christian Church; Easter, for example, is named after the Pagan goddess Eostre.

The eight festivals are known by witches as Sabbats and are usually celebrated with a ritual.

Samhain or Halloween is the best known of the witches' festivals and it marks the time when travel between the worlds of the living and the ancestors is easiest.

Witches also monitor lunar phases and many have full moon celebrations which they call Esbats.