Agnew Lane celebrates spring with a bonfire and community spirit
Nestled in the heart of the Southside, Agnew Lane’s community garden, a reclaimed patch of land, has become a hub of connection. Celebrating the Spring Equinox, locals gathered for an evening of food, song and stories around the warmth of a bonfire.
Nestling in front of the bonfire at Agnew Lane
By Eilidh Inara | Photo by Rob Reid
Just off the main street, turned down an unassuming lane and tucked in the middle of tenement flats, there is a cosy sight. Rounding the corner into the lane opens a view of 60 or more people, gathered around a fire, sharing beers and soup while fiddles and guitars complete with the lively spring birdsong. It’s a Saturday night and here at Agnew Lane, everyone is gathered to celebrate the Spring Equinox in what is fast becoming a (weather-dependent) tradition.
But it hasn’t always been this idyllic. Only a few years ago, this patch of land was lying derelict, host to years worth of fly-tipping. During the pandemic, a group of people decided to reclaim the land, aiming to grow enough produce to support local food banks. Four years on and the community garden is thriving.
Read More: Community Growers: How Agnew Lane Community Garden’s bid for land ownership offers hope and opportunity
This equinox celebration is an event open to everyone, un-ticketed and free. A couple of shoeboxes are passed around throughout the evening, one raising funds for the Gaza Collective and the other collecting for the community garden itself.
People arrive in triplets and pairs and more seats go out to accommodate them, forming concentric rings around the bonfire. Those closest to the fire are lounging on log benches that have been hand-made by the gardeners. Many people have been drawn here by word of mouth (who doesn’t love a bonfire?) some follow the lane’s activity on Instagram – and a few people happened to come along purely out of curiosity; drawn in by the smell of wood smoke and enticing sounds of live music.
“Spaces you just wander into are so important,” one fireside attendee says, while another adds, “It’s not the kind of place you often find in the city.” He describes growing up in a rural area, where this kind of event is much more common. In the city, it is unusual in the extreme for people to gather for no other purpose than being together. The lives we lead are very often insular or disconnected and it is events like this that bring us together. “It makes you feel really present,” another muses.
Echoed around the circle is this same sentiment, over and over; that places like this are special, that being able to gather together, as part of a community – and outside, especially – is something rare and special. Gazing around at the contented faces, lit by the cosy glow of the flames, it’s easy to see why. The atmosphere is effortlessly welcoming. The combination of music and background chatter, together with the crackling of the fire, makes for an environment as soothing as it is joyful.
More than £250 was raised on the night. In a time when it is so easy to become disillusioned and hopeless, it is an important reminder of the collective power we hold.
Why are events such as this important? As one reveller succinctly puts it, “Because it makes happiness.”
Hard to argue with that.
The community gardeners meet every Sunday around 1pm. These sessions are open to everyone, all levels of skill and garden knowledge are welcome. For more information visit the website.