2008 Samhain Festival

October 31 - November 2, 2008
at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve
west of Mount Horeb & north of Barneveld, Wisconsin
25 miles west of Madison, Wisconsin

Deborah Ann Light, M.A., went to her first Pagan Spirit Gathering in 1983! She has been connected with Circle Sanctuary ever since, including support of Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve from its beginnings. Among her adventures was taking part in the 2nd Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1993 in Chicago. She was sent to the Assembly of Religious and Spiritual Leaders by her Elders. As the Wiccan representative for The Old Religion, she signed the Preamble to the Global Ethic. In 1999 she went to Cape Town, South Africa, and participated in the opening ceremony for the 3rd Parliament. Deborah also was instrumental in introducing Wiccans to membership in the United Religious Initiative, an international fellowship. In addition to her international interfaith activities, Deborah creates verbal quilts on the subjects of rights (rites) of passage , including work with death preparations. A collector of poems, she prepares presentations such as Medusa Speaks to Men, The Goddess is Alive and Of Witches and Wise Ones.

Samhain, popularly known as Halloween, occurs in late October and early November. For most Wiccan practitioners, this is the New Year, and a time for letting go of the old and looking ahead to the new. It marks the end of the harvest season. Since ancient times, Pagans have paid their respects to departed loved ones, ancestors, and guides in the Spirit World at Samhain. The Goddess manifests as the Crone and the God as the Horned Hunter and Lord of Death. Sacred colors are Black and Orange. It is the festival of endings and transformation.

  • Samhain Ritual by Selena Fox (PDF format)
  • Samhain Ancestors Ritual by Selena Fox (PDF format)
  • Samhain Article by Selena Fox on Beliefnet.com: 'As America celebrates Halloween, I celebrate Samhain'
  • More about Samhain
  • More about Celebrating the Seasons



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    		Program Schedule




    Friday, October 31
    10:30 AM Gate open for arrivals
    11 AM - Noon Welcome & Opening Ritual - Honoring the Land with Selena Fox & Joey Bunbury
    A warm welcome and opening ritual to Honor the land and prepare for our weekend festivities. Bring a stone to leave as an offering.
    12:30 PM Lunch
    2 - 3 PM The Crooning of Crones - with Deborah Ann Light
    The Crooning of Crones is a weaving of poems on the subject of old, wise women. While The Crone is revered in The Craft, She is often ignored and rendered invisible in the mundane world. Come hear of Her Power and Wisdom told by Her Peers, the poets!
    2 - 3 PM Samhain Traditions & Decorate Sugar Skulls - Youth Workshop
    Come learn more about the tides of the High Season and learn how to traditionally decorate ancestral Sugar Skulls of the Mexican, Los Dias de los Muertos tradition.
    3:30 - 5 PM Circle Cemetery Dedication of Pentacle veteran gravemarker - by Selena Fox & others
    This is a memorial and dedication of the US Department of Veterans Affairs issued pentacle grave stone marking the cremains of Circle Sanctuary member and veteran Ron Naanes. His widow, Anita, and Selena Fox, assisted by several Circle Sanctuary ministers and others will honor his life and service and dedicate the gravestone, the fifth at Circle Cemetery. Bring a fresh flower or some fresh or dried herbs to place by the stone.
    3:30 PM Dress for the Kids' Samhain Costume Parade & Trick or Treating
    Get ready for a costume parade around the town to show off your fantastic costumes! Prizes will be awarded for Best Costumes.
    4 PM Samhain Costume Parade & Trick or Treating
    Come join the Young ones as they parade around the grounds to show off their terrific costumes! Prizes will be awarded for Best Costumes.
    5:30 - 6:30 PM Dinner
    7 PM Arrivals for those attending Witches Ball only (with departures by 1 am)
    8 PM - Midnight Witches Ball - with live music by the Celtic band, Stone Ring.
    Join in the fun. Dress in costume, if you wish -- come as an ancestor, as your self in another life or in a fantasy. Enjoy the band performing Celtic tunes and other music. Dance, socialize, make merry! Some refreshments provided.
    8:30 - 10 PM Storytelling for Youth during the Witches' Ball
    Join the fine art of storytelling!
    Midnight Salute to Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve - with Selena Fox, Dennis Carpenter and others!
    Be here to witness a grand display of celebration and help us to bring in the New Year with a bang!
    Saturday, November 1
    7:30 - 9 AM Continental Breakfast
    9:30 - 11 AM Ritual Herbcrafting - with Joey
    Together we will create for ourselves and for our community personal ritual herb bundles to be burned in our Samhain fires during our main ritual.
    10 AM Samhain Tides - Youth Decorate the Animal Shrine
    Join us as we make a pilgrimage up to the Animal Shrine to create a Samhain Altar to leave offerings to our beloved Ancestors and passed familiars.
    11:30 AM - 1 PM Story of Circle Sanctuary Land & Annual Meeting
    Be a part of a cider toast as we take a look at Circle Sanctuary land through the years.
    1 - 2 PM Lunch
    2 - 4 PM Down & Dirty with Death - with Deborah Ann Light
    You wouldn’t leave your socks under the bed with the dust bunnies -- don’t do the same with your body! Suggestions and instructions for your final days and afterwards. A take-home handout for your hand and some poetry for your head!
    2 PM Youth Nature Hike
    Take a hike with Billy Crow to see the beautiful Circle Sanctuary Land in her full Fall Glory!
    2 PM Youth Pumpkin Hunt
    Come and join the mad, mischievous misrule, and merriment as the kids scramble to find the pumpkins hidden around Circle Sanctuary!
    5:30 - 6:30 Potluck Dinner
    8 - 9:30 PM Samhain Ritual by Joey Bunbury, Moonfeather, Selena & others
    The veil between the worlds is thin this night. We'll cross it and gather messages from departed loved ones then return again to celebrate life and the Celtic New Year.
    8 - 9:30 PM Youth Movie Night at the Farmhouse
    Come and be snuggly warm as we watch a Halloween flick for the evening.
    10:00 - 11:30 PM Spiral Labyrinth - with Tom & Peggy
    10:30 PM Meditative Bonfire - with Reed
    Bring chants, poetry, singing bowls, chimes or silence as you enter sacred space and experience a meditative fire
    Sunday, November 2
    7:30 - 9 AM Continental Breakfast
    9 - 10 AM Nature Walk - with Reed
    Walk the land with Reed and see the true beauty and glory of the season.
    10 - 11 AM The Community Web - An Exercise in Tribe Building
    Join us as we weave the threads of Community.
    10:30 AM Youth Community Service Opportunity
    Experience how one person’s actions can change the dynamic for the whole Community.
    10 - 11 AM Workshop - with Nora Cedarwind
    Noon - 12:30 PM Lunch
    1 - 4 PM The 25th Anniversary Land Celebration
    Please join us as we celebrate 25 years! We will serve cake & punch along with a slideshow of Circle land photos, storytelling by Selena, Dennis, & other community members, plus music by Michael Doran
    5 PM Gate closes for departures








    		Registration




    Adults (each): Until 10/21 After 10/21
    Witches' Ball $20 $25
    Fri. (includes Ball) $35 $40
    Sat. Only $45 $50
    Sun. Only $25 $30
    Any 2 days $60 $75
    All 3 days $95 $110

    Children 5+ (each) Until 10/21 After 10/21
    Witches' Ball $7 $10
    Fri. (includes Ball) $10 $15
    Sat. Only $15 $20
    Sun. Only $10 $15
    Any 2 days $25 $30
    All 3 days $35 $40

    Children under 5 are free.

    Register online using our secure online registration form.

    Register online for only the 25th Anniversary Celebration.

    Cancellations received before October 24th will be refunded minus 50% processing fee. Cancellations received on October 24 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.

    Lodging: