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Guide
Mabon: History, Traditions and Ways to Celebrate
Mabon falls on the autumn equinox, around 22–23 September. Balance again, as nights begin to outweigh days. This guide covers where Mabon comes from, its folklore, simple ways to celebrate at home or outdoors in the UK, and what to put on your altar.
History and meaning
Balance again, as nights begin to outweigh days. It is the second harvest of apples and fruit. The name Mabon was applied in the 1970s, which shows how young some modern names are. As with every sabbat, modern practice blends genuine old custom with 20th-century revival, and both are part of a living tradition.
Customs in Britain and Ireland
Customs around Mabon vary by region, family and path. Look for local fairs, church festivals and folk customs near you; our town guides list heritage sites and seasonal events across the UK. Many old customs were practical, marking the farming year, the movement of animals or the turn of the light, and their meanings grew around that work.
Ways to celebrate
At home
Pick blackberries (by tradition before 29 September, when folklore says the Devil spoils them), make cider or jam and share a harvest meal.
Outdoors
Walk somewhere that shows the season, such as a hill at sunrise, a wood or a stone circle. Leave nothing behind but footprints.
With others
Share food, tell stories or join an open celebration. Many Druid and pagan groups hold public rites.
Journaling
Write what this season means to you, what you want to release and what you hope to grow before Samhain.
Altar ideas and colours
Traditional altar items include brown and red candles, smoky quartz, cinnamon or apple incense. Add what you find outside: leaves, flowers, seeds or stones. Keep candles on a heat-proof plate, away from anything that could catch, and never leave them alone.
Folklore
Folklore says the Devil spits on blackberries on Old Michaelmas Day (around 10 October, or 29 September in some tellings), so they should be picked before then. The harvest moon, the full moon closest to the equinox, let farmers work late into the evening.
Food and drink
Apples, pears, cider, blackberry crumble and harvest loaves. Many churches still hold harvest festivals around this time.
Nature at this time
Leaves turn, conkers fall, swallows gather on wires before migrating, and geese arrive from the north.
The sky at Mabon
On 23 September 2027: In London the sun rises at about 06:46 and sets at about 18:59. In Cardiff the sun rises at about 06:58 and sets at about 19:12. In Edinburgh the sun rises at about 06:58 and sets at about 19:13. In Belfast the sun rises at about 07:09 and sets at about 19:23. The nearest full moon is on 16 September 2027. Times are calculated and approximate, in UK clock time.
Reflection prompts
Looking back
What has this last season given you, and what are you ready to let go?
Looking forward
What would you like to have grown by Samhain?
Gratitude
Name three things from the natural world you noticed this week.
Where it sits on the Wheel
Mabon comes after Lughnasadh (Lammas) and before Samhain. The Wheel of the Year guide covers all eight festivals. UK delivery is £3.95, free on orders over £40, and usually takes 2–5 working days.
Mabon dates for 2026, 2027 and 2028
Solstice and equinox times are calculated with astronomy-engine for UK clock time. The cross-quarter festivals are kept on their fixed calendar dates by most people, though some prefer the astronomical midpoint, a few days later.
| Year | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday 23 September 2026 | Exact moment 01:05 BST (calculated) |
| 2027 | Thursday 23 September 2027 | Exact moment 07:01 BST (calculated) |
| 2028 | Friday 22 September 2028 | Exact moment 12:45 BST (calculated) |
Mabon on a budget
Mabon is a thanksgiving, so start with a list of what has gone well this year. Add apples, squash, conkers and fallen leaves to a table and share a meal. Harvest festival collections at churches and food banks make the old sharing custom real.
Ideas for families
- Make an apple and blackberry crumble.
- Collect conkers and acorns for the altar.
- Time the equinox sunset and compare it with June.
- Donate food to a local food bank.
After Mabon
Nights now grow longer than days. It is a natural time to tidy the garden, mend and store things, and prepare for Samhain.
Sunrise and sunset across the UK on the autumn equinox, 23 September 2027
Calculated with astronomy-engine for each city, in UK clock time. Day length grows the further north you go in summer and shrinks in winter.
| City | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 06:49 | 18:57 | -12h -52m |
| Cardiff | – | 19:09 | 0h 0m |
| Birmingham | 06:56 | 19:04 | -12h -52m |
| Manchester | 06:57 | 19:05 | -12h -52m |
| Belfast | 07:10 | 19:20 | 12h 10m |
| Edinburgh | 07:01 | 19:09 | -12h -51m |
| Inverness | 07:03 | 19:14 | 12h 11m |
The moon on the day
- Autumn equinox 2026: waxing gibbous, 86% lit.
- Autumn equinox 2027: last quarter, 52% lit.
Crystals, herbs and colours for Mabon
- Smoky quartz: grounding and letting go
- Red jasper: endurance and grounding, a 'nurturing' stone
- Carnelian: courage, creativity and get-up-and-go
- Citrine: sunshine, abundance and optimism, the 'merchant's stone'
- Tiger's eye: courage and confidence; a Roman soldier's charm
- Herbs and scents: cinnamon, myrrh, apples and dried leaves.
- Colours: deep red, orange, brown and gold.
Seasonal pieces from the shop
Real pieces in stock today, with current prices. Each product page lists size, materials and what is included.
- Celestial Energy Atlas Oracle Cards - Spiritual Deck: £3.20.
- Manifest Magic Candles (pack of 12) - Violet - Crown Chakra: £1.72.
- Manifest Magic Candles (pack of 12) - Indigo - Third Eye Chakra: £1.72.
- Esoteric Fringed Altar Cloth - Moon & Sun Chart: £4.00.
- Hop Hare Crystal Magic Flower Candle - The Moon: £11.96.
- Ancient Witch Ritual Water - Fountain of Youth: £6.40.
- Magic Spell Candle - Protection: £11.20.
- Magic Spell Candle - Prosperity: £11.20.
Words worth knowing
- Wheel of the Year: the modern pagan cycle of eight seasonal festivals, popularised in Britain in the 1950s and 60s.
- Sabbat: one of those eight festivals.
- Quarter day: a solstice or equinox, fixed by the sun.
- Cross-quarter day: a festival roughly halfway between a solstice and an equinox: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain.
- Esbat: a full moon gathering or ritual, as opposed to a sabbat.
- Altar: a surface set aside for seasonal and ritual objects.
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Questions answered
When is Mabon?
The autumn equinox, around 22–23 September.
How is Mabon celebrated?
Pick blackberries (by tradition before 29 September, when folklore says the Devil spoils them), make cider or jam and share a harvest meal.
What colours are used for Mabon?
Common choices include brown and red candles.
Do I need special tools for Mabon?
No. A candle, something seasonal and a quiet moment are enough.
When should I order for Mabon?
Allow about five working days before the date. UK delivery is £3.95, free on orders over £40, and usually takes 2–5 working days.
Is Mabon a pagan festival?
Mabon is one of the eight festivals of the modern pagan Wheel of the Year, marking thanksgiving for the harvest and balance. Some of its customs are old folk traditions in Britain and Ireland; the name and the eight-festival cycle in its current form date from the 20th century.
How can I celebrate Mabon on my own?
Light a candle, go for a walk to notice the season, cook something seasonal and write a few lines about what Mabon means to you this year. Solitary celebration is completely normal in modern paganism.
What food is eaten at Mabon?
Traditional and seasonal choices include apples, blackberries, squash, nuts and cider.
Can children join in with Mabon?
Yes. Crafts, seasonal walks, baking and decorating are all easy ways to include children. Keep candles and fires supervised.
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