what is bel tine

Bel Tine is a celebration of springs arrival in the Westlands, which is not set to a specific date and comes later in northern lands than in others. It is a holiday marking the beginning of spring and is celebrated in the Two Rivers, as well as across the Westlands. The name "Bel Tine" is not related to the Celtic festival of Beltane, despite the similarity in name. The festival is often commemorated with bonfires, maypoles, dancing, and performing fertility rituals. The Celts used to light two bonfires because they believed it would purify themselves, as well as increase their fertility. They would pass cattle between the two fires, with the belief that it would purify the cattle and ensure the fertility of the herd. The date of Bel Tine is determined locally, but it is supposed to come when winter ends and the first sprouts of spring appear.