Green Spirit Festival
August 1-3, 2008
a Celtic Lughnassadh Celebration
at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve
near Barneveld, Wisconsin

Also known as Lammas or Lughnassadh, this is the ancient Celtic fire festival marking the height of Summer and the first reaping of the harvest.

Mike Nichols is the celebrated author of The Witches' Sabbats book and Web site - the ultimate resource on Pagan holidays and related writings - and a contributing author to Creating Circles & Ceremonies. Mike has been a featured speaker on National Public Radio (NPR), Spiral Dance Radio, and Eclectic Pagan Podcast (episodes 16 and 22) on iTunes. He does extensive online teaching and writing, occasionally guest lectures at Pagan festivals, and performs in a Pagan band called Spellbound.

A pioneer in the American neo-Pagan movement, Nichols taught classes in Witchcraft for twenty years continuously, from 1970 to 1989, in Columbia and Kansas City, Missouri, through the Communiversity and at his bookstore, The Magick Lantern. He was also the editor of "The Lantern's Light", the store's semi-quarterly Pagan journal. A founding member of the Coven of New Gwynedd, Nichols was the first Wiccan representative on the Kansas City Interfaith Council.

Nichols is a lifelong student of the Craft and, after years of research, writing, and teaching, he still considers himself a student. He received his BA from the University of Missouri, with a double major in communications and psychology (specializing in parapsychology). He has done graduate work in the field of library and information science.

Sionna has been High Priestess of Elysium Coven in Kansas City since 1994. She was also president of Heartland Spiritual Alliance for 4 years, and has made a study of applying good organizational principles to her coven. Sionna was first introduced to mead in 1993 when her husband Shaggyman became an avid and award-winning meadmaker. First she was his taste tester and later became interested in formulating her own mead concoctions. She has been a mead judge in sanctioned contests and she and Shaggyman raise their own bees and fruit for the best mead in the midwest!









Schedule




Green Spirit 2008
FRIDAY, August 1
11 AM Merchant arrivals and setup begins
Noon - 1 PM Gate opens to Public - Set up camp, meet your neighbors, shop the Merchants!
Noon - 7 PM Magical Merchant Faire - visit booths with a variety of Pagan wares, including books, clothing and jewelry.
1:00 - 2:00 PM Mead Making Workshop with Sionna.
An intensive discussion with a master mead-maker about methods for making, flavoring and bottling honey meads.
2:30 - 3:45 PM Ritual Herbs Harvest with Selena Fox.
Learn about sacred ways to harvest herbs for spiritual and healing uses, and then take part in a ritual herbs harvest.
Youth Workshop: Mugwort with Peggy.
Learn the magickal properties of mugwort, how to harvest it, and what to do with it!
4 - 5:15 PM Workshop: American Trees & Ogham Alphabet with Reed Cockrell.
Learn the magickal qualities of trees native to Circle land, and how they relate to the Ogham alphabet.
Youth Workshop: Green Mask Making with Peggy.
Make masks to be worn in the festival Opening Ritual, to take on qualities of the Green.
5:30 - 7 PM Dinner
7:30 - 8 PM Welcome to Green Spirit - Meet and Greet with Bob & Georgette.
Meet each other and learn about this festival's themes.
8 - 9 PM Festival Opening Ritual - with Selena Fox, Michael Doran and others.
Join in honoring the Land, blessing the festival, and connecting with the spirit of Lughnassad through meditation, chanting, and invocations.
9 - 11 PM Labyrinth Working - with Joey.
Walk the Labyrinth for divination and reflection. The Labyrinth will be facilitated initially, and will be lit throughout the night for personal journeying.

SATURDAY, August 2
8 - 9 AM Breakfast
9 AM - 7 PM Magical Merchant Faire
9 - 9:30 AM Newcomers' Meeting - A brief orientation to Circle Sanctuary
10 - 11:30 AM Workshop: Ritual Uses of Herbs with Selena Fox.
Exploring ways of working with herbs for consecration, healing, rites of passage, and other rites. Includes demonstrations.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Potluck Lunch
1 - 3 PM Workshop: The Witches' Sabbats - by Mike Nichols.
Unlike many modern authors who stress rituals or activities for the eight Wiccan holidays, Mike draws upon classic studies in folklore and mythology to uncover the earliest folk customs, lore, terminology, and symbolism associated with each of the eight Sabbats. He demonstrates how these oldest of Pagan holidays were appropriated by the Christian liturgical calendar, often with the same Gods and their rites only thinly veiled. As opposed to being isolated events, Mike stresses how the eight Witches' Sabbats relate to one another and how, taken as a whole, they form the great mandala of the solar year and its seasons.
Youth Workshop: Ice Cream Making - with Peggy, Phoenix and Billy.
Learn how to make cold treats with just a few ingredients and your own two hands.
3 - 5 PM Tailteann Games - with Bob.
Feats of strength and daring and courage: the Pagan Pentathlon returns! Fun for contestants and spectators - - of all ages!
  • Tug-Of-War
  • Horseback Races
  • Water Balloon Toss
  • Hopping Relay Race
  • Who Laughs Last?
3:30 - 4:30 PM Nature Walk - with Reed Cockrell.
For those who would like a less physically-demanding experience: Join Reed on a walking tour of the Circle grounds.
5 - 5:30 PM Raffle Drawing - in the Temple Room
5:30 - 7 PM Dinner
7:30 - 9:00 PM Lughnassadh ritual with Georgette Paxton and Circle community members.
From Solar Flame to Inner Fire.... We are Transformation.
As blessed souls we are nurtured by our Gods and made whole. We come together on this summer night to celebrate the life given by the Green Lord and remember our place in the eternal cycle... fed by the Sacred, and thus are Sacred beings ourselves.
9 - 10 PM Bardic Circle.
Bring your songs, poems, humor, & stories to share with the community!
10 PM Bonfire Drum & Dance.
Bring your instruments and share energy around the fire into the night!
Youth Night Walk with Billy Crow.
Walk the sacred land at night with your Witch Eyes!

SUNDAY, August 3
8:30 - 9:30 AM Breakfast
9 AM - 1 PM Magical Merchant Faire
9:30 - 10 AM Parents' Meeting - in the Childrens' Center.
10 - 11 AM Workshop: Pagan Group Dynamics - by Sionna.
What is it that makes a group work or fall apart? What can you as a member contribute to its success? What do you need to know as a leader to maintain smooth operations? We will discuss administration, group dynamics, and personal interactions as part of our workshop.
11:30 AM - Noon Festival Closing Ritual - with Georgette, Bob and others.
Thanks and blessings to festival participants for your journey home.
Noon - 1PM Lunch
2 PM Cleanup and Departures








Items to Bring




  • Stone, Crystal or rock offering for the Stone Circle.
  • Item to donate for the Raffle & Silent Auction, to benefit upkeep of the Nature Preserve facilities.
  • Ritual garb and/or brightly colored or green clothing, to wear during the ritual.
  • Contribution for potluck feast to feed at least two dozen, for Saturday dinner. For details, please see our Potluck Guidelines.
  • Please help us conserve paper: bring your own cup to use for drinks at meals and other times.
  • Camping Gear: tent, sleeping bag, pillow, air mattress, flashlight, water jug, towel, biodegradable soap and shampoo, personal toiletries, sungear, raingear, insect and tick repellent.
  • A lawn chair, mat, or blanket for outdoor seating. Many activities will be outside.
  • Song, story or poem for the Bardic Circle on Saturday night. (optional)
  • Drum, rattle, or other rhythm instrument. (optional)







Registration




Adults (each): After 7/25
3 Days $125
2 Days $110
Sat. Only $65
Sat. PM $50

Children 5+ (each) After 7/25
3 Days $60
2 Days $50
Sat. Only $35
Sat. PM $25

Children under 5 are free.

Register online using our secure online registration form.

If interested in vending, please register as usual and contact Bob Paxton: bob@circlesanctuary.org

Cancellations received before July 25th will be refunded minus 50% processing fee. Cancellations received on July 25 or later will not be refunded. Please refer to Circle's cancellation policy if you should need to cancel your event registration.

For more information contact circle@circlesanctuary.org or call the Circle office at (608) 924-2216.