Fire Leap With Me is a new participatory Live Art work commissioned by Midsummer Festival.

Fire Leap With Me explores meaning-making through collective creativity and ritual, framed around the ancient solstice tradition of leaping over bonfires, which was believed to bring good luck, health and fertility for the coming year. Audiences of all ages collaborate to create and paint a fire installation using recycled materials, before a playful fire-leaping ceremony. 

Together we paint flames,  make or paint cardboard logs, and use our ingenuity to build up the fire structure. As the day progresses, the fire grows bigger, stronger and more vibrant, until it is ready for the fire jumping ceremony. We each consider a wish or intention for the coming harvest season as we leap, walk or roll over the flames, cheered on by a crowd of spectators and fellow firestarters.

The ceremony features 30 brightly coloured capes inspired by Hélio Oiticica's Paragolés, designed to activate the body, bring art into the street, and build community through 'total participatory creation'.