Festival Events 2021

Remembrance Campfires on Portobello Beach

Organised by Action Porty. Sunday 7 November, 2pm - 4.30pm, Bellfield.

As part of "To Absent Friends", Action Porty, in conjunction with Life Celebrant, Loretta Dunn, will have Remembrance Campfires on Portobello Beach on Sunday 7th November.

The afternoon will commence at 2pm in Bellfield Front Gardens with an opening ceremony to start the event, acknowledging the reason for the gathering. The procession will then make its way down to the beach for 2.30pm where there will be campfires already lit for individual and family gatherings. The fires will burn for approximately an hour and a half to allow for story-telling and remembrance.

This builds last year’s successful event where participants shared photos and stories of loved ones with each other and strangers within the Covid guidelines at that time.

There will be space to share and speak or to sit in quiet contemplation as those who have died are remembered and acknowledged. Circulation between campfires within the current Covid guidelines is encouraged. Sharing stories and photos along with memories is a positive experience that facilitates forward movement in the grief journey of individuals and groups.

There will be a creative station where participants will be offered the opportunity to decorate a stone with their loved one’s name which will later be placed in the sea around 4pm at high tide, drawing the event to a natural close.

Photos will be taken by @Jon Davey Photography.

Please note, this is an outdoor event in November in Scotland so please come dressed warmly and for the weather whatever it might be.

While all precautions will be taken and fire wardens will be present, these are real fires and attendees are asked to be fire sensible and come along at their own risk. Children are welcome in this outdoor space under the same terms and there will be creative opportunities for them to express themselves too.

The intention is for fires to be on the sand on the beach but if accessibility is a concern please let us know and we'll work something out. Please bring your own blankets, cushions or even beach chairs to sit on.

Toilets will be available at Bellfield.

Please feel free to bring a flask of warm tea, coffee or soup to enjoy or something to eat but due to Covid precautions food and drink should not be shared and will not be provided.

The event is free but ticketed. Tickets can be booked on eventbrite. Please book a ticket for all members of your party. Our aim is to provide a small campfire for each group so please get in touch and tell us how many are in your group. If you are attending alone you will be very welcome to sit yourself or to mingle with others. Let us know what you’d prefer and it is fine to change your mind too.

Book a place here: Eventbrite booking link