The Song Circle - Samhain, Fire & Folklore

The Song Circle returns to The Salisbury Centre on Sunday 1 November, from 3pm to 5pm, for a session themed around Samhain, fire and folklore. It's run by the Natural Voice Network, who also lead singing walks around the city, and it's a drop-in group rather than a performance — you turn up and join in.

There's no experience, training, or background required to take part. The songs and harmonies are taught by ear on the day, drawn from all over the world, new and old. Before each one, the group takes a moment to acknowledge the songwriters, the stories and the origins behind the music. Every session is different, with the songs, seasons and themes changing each time, and this one marks Samhain with material built around fire and folklore.

The afternoon starts with a stretch and a vocal warm-up, followed by about an hour and a half of singing, with a break halfway for a cup of tea. It's held in The Art Room at The Salisbury Centre, which is a phone-free, adults-only space where no recordings, videos or photos are taken during the session; a song list is emailed out afterwards so you can keep the tunes. The session is free, and you'll find it at The Art Room, The Salisbury Centre, 2 Salisbury Road, Edinburgh EH16 5AB, from 3pm to 5pm on Sunday 1 November.