The fires that burn on Peel beach, illuminating a spectacular battle between the seasons of winter and summer, may be ignited later in the year to mark Oie Houney instead.

The Oie Voaldyn Festival, held on the May bank holiday weekend, which sees many people taking part in a community torch-lit parade through Peel, should have been taking place this weekend.

However, once the social restrictions came into force and put an end to all of the public events through the Manx summer, organisers of the festival decided to use the months’ worth of planning and preparations that had already gone into this year’s show to celebrate another age-old Celtic festival, held later in the year.

Oie Houney is the night that winter arrives and is more traditionally known as Hop tu Naa.

The organisers of Oie Voaldyn are planning a fire show on Peel beach on Saturday, October 31 and will aim to follow the same lines as the May event, with people taking part in a torch-lit procession to Peel beach to watch a spectacular fire ceremony, featuring a sword battle between the champions of the Queens of Summer and Winter and the burning of huge bonfires.

Any future plans are dependant on the lifting or relaxing of the social distancing restrictions later in the year.

’Oie Voaldyn is almost upon us when thousands of people should be gathering on Peel shore to celebrate the arrival of summer,’ said John Shakespeare, the driving force behind the Oie Voaldyn festival and fire show.

’We are also hoping to run a new event, called Oie Houney, which will feature the ’Son et Lumiere’ with the fire displays, and lots of elements of the Manx Hop tu Naa.

’We will do something similar to Oie Voaldyn, using the new characters which we had planned to bring to life in May this year.’

Normally, over the course of the Oie Voaldyn show, the Summer Queen triumphs over her Winter counterpart. Holding the Oie Houney festival means the script may need a bit of tweaking.

’Of course the winner of this event will be the Queen of Winter which should please the winter fans,’ said John.

’Hopefully all social gathering restrictions will be lifted by then.’

Tonight (Thursday) and over the next few days, John and the main characters from the show intend to replay some of the videos from last year on the event’s Facebook page, along with some of the main characters dressing up at home in costume.

John said they are also beginning the preparations for next year’s Oie Voaldyn festival, which will return on Sunday, May 2.