Leith’s first magical market is coming to Leith Arches on December 18, this Saturday, to celebrate the pagan festival of Yule.
It will be starting at 10 am and will be trading until 5 pm with no entry free.
Due to the recent spike in Omicron cases in Scotland, the organisers ask that everyone wear a mask in the building (unless exempt). They also advise that people take a lateral flow test before attending. The market will provide a one-way system around the stalls with a decreased capacity for attendees, track and trace QR codes around the venue, and hand sanitiser at every booth.
The market is hosted by Amelia Whitehouse, a professional Tarot Reader, Tarot teacher and Podcaster, and Laura Cooper, who runs a pagan-inspired flower and vintage business called Nymeria Bloom. Together they have brought together crafters, artists, astrologers and more to provide witchy supplies to customers before Yule, a pagan sabbat.
Amelia and Laura described the market as: “A space to build, celebrate and connect the vibrant local witch community in Leith and across Edinburgh. We hope to help people to get back in touch with the natural cycle of the seasons and to get them excited about the amazing changes in the natural world all year round!”
The Leith Witch Market Team expressed that:
“The Pandemic created a sense of global uncertainty and simultaneously caused many of us to spend significantly more time outside. So it’s not surprising to find that the one certainty so many people turned to were the seasons.
Noticing the changes, enjoying them and wondering what our ancestors did to honour these changes seems like a very authentic response.”
They plan to host a witch market before each pagan sabbat and sell pagan gifts, eats and experiences. Hopefully, the event will inspire more people to work with the pagan calendar and the wheel of the year.
“Each market will be themed on its Season and traditional associations of that time of year- I.e. Imbolc at Candlemass, Samhain on Halloween as well as each Equinox and Solstice.”
Stalls will be set up offering tarot readings, psychic readings, flowers, art, candles and other witchy supplies. Customers are urged to keep a flyer as they will double as stamp cards. The organisers hope customers will come to each of the eight markets planned for each sabbat; for every market customers attend, they will receive a stamp, and after attending all eight, they will be entered into a prize draw at the Yule 2022 market.
The other Pagan Sabbats are as follows:
Imbolc = February 1 – 2
Ostara = March 19-23
Beltane = April 30 – May
Midsummer = June 19– 23
Lughnasadh = August 1 – 2
Mabon = September 20 – 24
Samhain = October 31 – November 1
Future markets are likely to be held just before these dates so pagans can gather their supplies for the holidays.
Follow @leithwitchcraftmarket on Instagram for more information.
Find Amelia on Instagram at @Carneliankeeptarot and Laura at @nymeriabloom.
BA (Hons) Film, Media and Journalism graduate. Freelance Journalist for Brig Newspaper and Entertainment Daily. Head of Social Media for Brig Newspaper.
Passionate about diversity, inclusion and representation.
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