PaganFaire.
An annual daylong spring equinox festival sponsored by SisterSpirit (see page 564) with crafts, workshops, a raffle, musical entertainment, and rituals. Address: SisterSpirit, P.O. Box 9246, Portland, OR 97207. Phone: 503-736-3297.
Paganstock.
A music festival held every June in rural southwestern Michigan to support Pagan bands and artists. Pagan musicians, including Kellianna, Scott Helland, and Thirteen Winters have performed. There are Vendors, camping, and rituals for all ages to enjoy. “Open your heart and your mind and feel the magic of Paganstock.” Ethan Pulka is the festival organizer. Address: Paganstock, 41261 County Road 681, Bangor, MI 49013. Phone: 269-427-7470. E-mail:
[email protected].
Rites of Spring.
One of the oldest and largest Pagan festivals in the country, sponsored by EarthSpirit (see page 529) and held (since 1979) during the week leading up to and including Memorial Day weekend on a private lake in western Massachusetts. Rites of Spring is an extended community of Pagans from all parts of the country and abroad, gathered to create and renew connections with each other and the Earth. This is a fabulous festival with rituals from many traditions, workshops, drumming, bonfires, music, discussions, rites of passage, and many activities for both adults and children. It is a beautiful site with cabins and many facilities, including swimming, boating, and hiking. A meal plan is available. Open to all Pagan paths as well as kindred spirits from other traditions. Send SASE to: EarthSpirit, P.O. Box 723, Williamsburg, MA 01096. Phone: 413-238-4240. E-mail:
[email protected].
Spring Mysteries Festival.
For more than twenty years, the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (see page 511) has sponsored this four-day re-creation of the Eleusinian Mysteries over Easter week (Thursday through Sunday), the ancient initiatory rites of classical Greek Paganism which were conducted in secrecy for over two thousand years. It takes place in a seaside setting. Rituals include a purification parade to the Sea, Lesser Mysteries Initiation, Greater Mysteries Initiation for those who have gone through the Lesser Mysteries in a prior year, and Rites of Passage for youngsters coming into adulthood. There are also discussions, workshops, classes, arts, crafts, networking, music, drumming, bardic circles, family activities, and a Pagan talent show. Heated dorms, showers, and meals. Send a SASE to: Aquarian Tabernacle ChurchâSMF, P.O. Box 409, Index, WA 98256. Phone: 360-793-1945. E-mail:
[email protected].
The Weaving Community Symposium.
A daylong educational, spiritual, and networking event hosted yearly by the Iowa Pagan Access Network (IPAN) in the early spring. Includes workshops, discussions, rituals, drumming, vendors. The hope is for everyone to reach out beyond their covens and circles and local groups, beyond their traditions and paths to come together, weaving a picture of the community as a whole. Address: IPAN, P.O. Box 861, Iowa City, IA 52244-0861. E-mail:
[email protected].
Wic-Can Fest.
Canada's oldest Pagan festival. The gathering usually takes place the six days ending on the second Sunday in June, and is attended by 250+ people. Programming is eclectic, following the needs of Pagans in southwestern Ontario. The current site is the Mansfield Outdoor Center, about fifteen minutes closer to Toronto than the old site. Includes workshops, rituals, family events, and a meal plan. Camping and cabins are available. Address: Wic-Can Fest, 19 Elizabeth Street, P.O. Box 111, Coboconk, ON, L0M 1K0 Canada. E-mail:
[email protected].
SUMMER
The Ancient Ways Festival.
The festival is held around the third weekend of June (Wednesday through Sunday) at Harbin Hot Springs in Middletown, California, near the Clear Lake area above the Napa Valley. Founded in 1983, the Ancient Ways Festival is a relaxed gathering with rituals every night, along with some kind of musical jamming or bardic circle. Wiccan, Neo-Pagan, Umbanda, ceremonial magic, and eclectic paths are included. During the day there are two to four tracks of workshops. Harbin is a clothing-optional site with warm, hot, and cold pools and a fair amount of shade. There is both a campground and hotel rooms. Contact: Ancient Ways, 4075 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609. Phone: 510-653-3244. E-mail:
[email protected].
Call of the Crow (COTC).
Founded in 2002, Call of the Crow is an annual gathering intended for networking and education of the Pagan community (though anyone with an open mind is welcome). It is a one-week-long rustic camping event, held on a private, family-owned 240 acres in the heart of Michigan, near Lansing. The date of the event is June 18â25 every year. Different traditions perform their own rituals. Cost is $10 and no money is exchanged on the property; vendors can only exchange by barter. Address: Call of the Crow, c/o Stacey Knerr, 4254 Braden Road, Byron, MI 48418. E-mail:
[email protected].
Chesapeake Pagan Summer Gathering.
A three-day gathering held in Maryland during the late summer. It's a small, highly focused gathering for a little over one hundred people. The gathering is held at a secluded, partly wooded private campground with a pool, cabins, hot showers, playground equipment, and optional meal plans. Includes workshops, music, firedancing, drumming, rituals, and sweat lodge. Tents welcome. Family friendly, with activities for children. Address: Gathering Registrar, Chesapeake Pagan Community, P.O. Box 25242, Baltimore, MD 21229.
Daughters of Diana Gathering.
A Dianic conference for all Goddess women produced by Temple of Diana (see page 566) that takes place in mid-September in south-central Wisconsin. “Three days of ritual, music, art, dance, Amazon skills (including archery), vendors, and presentations by Goddess scholars.” Comfortable and fully accessible lodging and great food. Address: Temple of Diana, P.O. Box 6425, Monona, WI 53716-0425. Phone: 608-882-4655. E-mail:
[email protected].
Earth and Sky Summer Creation Festival.
A weekend gathering in the Oregon Coast Range, which generally takes place in August. It's sponsored by Aerious (see page 508), an educational center that focuses on metaphysics, permaculture, and wholistic healing. There are workshops in astrology, herbs, healing, yoga, dance, drumming, and dream journeying. The gathering is mostly camping with some indoor sleeping. Address: Aerious, c/o Mark McNutt, 93640 Deadwood Creek Road, Deadwood, OR 97430. Phone: 541-964-5341.
Elderflower WomenSpirit Festival (EWF).
A participatory four-day festival that takes place every August in the Mendocino Woodlands of northern California. “Our focus is earth-based spirituality and honoring the feminine through Goddess. We celebrate our diverse spirituality by sharing knowledge, music, arts, and ritual. EWF is open to all women and girls age eleven and over. We are committed to providing a welcoming and empowering environment for all women including older women, women of color and from all cultures, women of all sexual orientations, differently-abled women, women in recovery, and limited income women. We are run entirely by volunteers.” E-mail:
[email protected].
Firedance Festival.
A magical celebration of drum, dance, and song. Founded in 2000 and blending many traditions, Firedance has its roots in a style of fire circle celebration that evolved over the last two decades at magical drum and dance events held in the Northeast. “We join together in community in the beautiful Santa Cruz, California, Mountains amongst the Redwoods. Together we create a sacred place for deep play. Each night we join together in spiritual community to drum and dance the fire circle until the rising sunâconnecting nature, our bodies, our voices and our selves with the magic of the fire and the spirit in each of us. Each day we explore ancient and modern mysteries through experiential playshops on drumming, sacred dance, chanting, exploring sacred space, and community rituals.” There are many accomplished artists and teachers, affinity groups, community rituals, and an opportunity to study drumming, dance, and magical arts. This is a camping festival, family friendly with children's programs and some partial child care available. E-mail:
[email protected].
Gathering for Life on Earth.
A regional, family-friendly festival that takes place every year in August near Vancouver. It began in 1991 and is considered by many to be the premier event of the Vancouver Pagan calendar. It's a mixture of party-hearty activity, rituals, workshops, marketplace, Aphrodite's Temple, and an excellent children's program. There's good food, cabins, and tenting space available. Address: Gathering for Life on Earth, P.O. Box 47568, 1-1020 Austin Avenue, Coquitlam, BC V3K 6T3 Canada. E-mail:
[email protected].
Harvest Gathering.
A camping festival held over Labor Day weekend at Ozark Avalon, a Wiccan Church and Land Sanctuary near Columbia, Missouri (see page 552). There are workshops on various sacred arts and magical subjects, drumming, chanting, rituals, swimming, a sweat lodge, community meals, and fellowship. Address: Ozark Avalon, 26213 Cumberland Church Road, Boonville, MO 65233 Phone: 660-882-6418 or 573-289-3657. E-mail
[email protected].
Kaleidoscope Gathering.
Canada's largest Pagan gathering, which takes place on the weekend ending in the first Monday of August at Whispering Pines campground about forty-five minutes east of Ottawa. More than four hundred people attend. Kaleidoscope is in a part of English-speaking Canada, where the dominant language locally is French, bringing together Pagans from both cultures. Since it happens during Lughnasadh, there is a strong Celtic flavor. For more information, visit the Web site:
www.kaleidoscope-gathering.com
.
Lunasdal.
A celebration of summer and community building held at the end of July in western Massachusetts, including rituals, sharing of stories and chants, drumming, dancing, music, and other activities for both adults and children. Tenting only. Sponsored by EarthSpirit (see page 529). Address: EarthSpirit, P.O. Box 723, Williamsburg, MA 01096. Phone: 413-238-4240. E-mail:
[email protected].
MerryMeet.
This is the Covenant of the Goddess's (see page 524) annual festival held in conjunction with the Grand Council, COG's annual business meeting. It is held on Labor Day weekend or the weekend before in a different region of the United States each year. The event is usually held at a secluded campground or hotel. Meals are provided. Includes workshops, rituals, bardic circles, concerts, talent shows, and Pagan artisans. An optional leadership institute often takes place on the first day (Thursday). Address: COG, P.O. Box 1226, Berkeley, CA 94701. E-mail:
[email protected].
Michigan Womyn's Music Festival.
For more than thirty years this has been the preeminent women's music festival, bringing thousands of women from every state and every continent for a week of music and camping out on 650 acres of private land in Michigan. It usually takes place during the second week of August. There are also workshops and rituals. Women only; very lesbian identified. There is fabulous access for disabled women. It is very political and intense; issues of racism and sexuality come up often. Truly an experience of living in an alternate world. Address: WWTMC, Box 22, Walhalla, MI 49458. Send SASE. Phone: 217-757-4766.
MidSummer Gather Festival.
An eight-day/seven-night festival held over Midsummer, sponsored by the Earth House Project of Minnesota. Founded in 2001, it's a week of celebration, of sharing, of learning and of honoring one another's unique rituals. “Meet new people, learn new ways, and play like Pagans!” The festival features rituals and workshops, music and drumming, late-night community fires, and several community feasts. Open to Pagans everywhere, with child rates available; there is no additional fee for merchanting. Held currently at Eagle Cave Campgrounds (the old PSG site) in the heart of Wisconsin. Address: EHP Midsummer Gather, P.O. Box 141251, Minneapolis, MN 55414-9998. Phone: 877-538-4121.
National Women's Music FestivalâSpirituality Conference.
A four-day national gathering held in June or July at a midwestern college campus. This is a big music festival that also has a spirituality track of workshops and also a writer's track. Housing and meals are provided in dorms and cafeterias. Sponsored by Women in the Arts, P.O. Box 1427, Indianapolis, IN 46206.
Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG).
One of Paganism's oldest and largest gatherings, PSG is a week-long festival that has been going strong since 1980. It brings together Pagans from many paths from across the United States and several other countries to create community, develop Pagan culture, and celebrate Summer Solstice. Participants create and live cooperatively in a tribal Pagan village in a scenic setting. Many pitch tents; some lodge in camping vehicles. The gathering is open to women, men, and children, and includes rituals from different traditions, workshops, discussions, sweat lodges, concerts, a marketplace, youth programs, a leadership institute, women's rituals, men's rituals, chant sharing, ecstatic dancing, drumming, and more. Sponsored by Circle (see page 519) PSG takes place each June during the week of Summer Solstice, and since 1997 has been held at Wisteria campground and Nature Preserve in Ohio. Pre-registration is required. Articles, photos, and more details are online. Managing Director: MoonFeather. Address: PSG, Circle Sanctuary, P.O. Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53507. 608-924-2216. E-mail:
[email protected].