Lughnasadh

August 1st is Lughnasadh.  Irish Gaelic for "Festival of Lugh" (a major
Irish deity, it is pronounced "LOO nah sah".  It is also known by the less
intimidating name of Lammas.  It is a celebration of the first harvest and
thanksgiving.  It is also a harbinger of the cold months to come.
Ritual actions
Breads are baked, eaten, and/or placed in the fire, grains are woven into
corn dollies, Goddess or God symbols, visits to fields, and planting the
seeds from the fruit consumed during the celebration are performed.  A "fall
cleaning" may be done at this time, changing the drapes and linens,
preparing to store items away during the winter months.

Symbols and Colors
Loaves of bread, sheaves of wheat, barley, oats, and fruits are placed on
the altar.  The corn dollies may be places there as well.  Bread, berries,
and grains are traditional foods.

The Celebration
Purify yourself with a ritual bath or anoint.  Purify your ritual space, and
set up the altar.  Cast the circle and invoke the Goddess and the God.

Now is the time of First Harvest,
when the bounties of nature give of themselves.
O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain,
O Goddess of the Dark Moon,
teach me the secrets of rebirth
as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.

Eat a piece of fruit, or a slice of bread:

I partake of the First Harvest,
I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth.

Magic may be performed, or if you prefer, meditate.  Keep in mind the needs
of the Earth and thank the Goddess and God for attending your rite.  End the
celebration with a simple feast and release the circle.