I spent Saturday at Austin Witchfest in Austin, Texas. I talked to people, some of whom I hadn’t seen in two years and some of whom I had never met. I signed books. I gave a presentation. I took some pictures.
This was the first large Pagan gathering I’ve attended since Witchfest 2020 – the weekend before the Covid restrictions started. It was the first time I spoke in front of a live assembly since Mystic South in July 2019.
It was good to be back.
Really good.
We’ve done what we had to do to take care of ourselves, and especially the more vulnerable members of our community. Denton CUUPS went 18 months without an in-person ritual. During that time we produced video rituals so we could continue to worship our Gods and celebrate the seasons together. I created a year’s worth of video rituals – some with CUUPS and some solitary. We did some private work – six of us gathered for Samhain 2020.
Last year we began to return to in-person rituals. We had 15 people at Lughnasadh and about the same at the Fall Equinox. We had 50 at Samhain – that was wonderful.
But local rituals are one thing – large gatherings are another. Witchfest is like a mega Pagan Pride Day – classes and workshops, a keynote speaker, music and entertainment, vending and food. It’s mostly outdoors, but it’s still 800 or so people from all over the region (and a few flying in from other places). The organizers were wise – and responsible – to cancel last year’s event.
Now things have changed. Vaccines are widely available, and while they aren’t 100% effective, they greatly reduce the risk of serious illness or death. The omicron spike is pretty much over, at least in the US. Covid-19 will never be gone, but speaking for myself, I’m comfortable being in large gatherings again.
A warm and windy day in Texas
I only had one presentation to give, and it was mid-afternoon. Derrick Land and the other Witchfest organizers set me up with a canopy, table, and chairs. So I hung my flags, set up my books, and waited to see who would come by. And of course, they did.
One of the first people I met was Chris Allaun, the keynote speaker. Chris is originally from Texas but now lives in Chicago. We had a great conversation about how good teachers learn from each other – and we share an admiration for Ivo Dominguez, Jr. (who was not at Witchfest but who I’m planning to see at Mystic South in July). Michelle Gruben of Grove and Grotto was vending across the road from me. We spent a couple minutes catching up before her booth got busy. We’re going to reconnect at Mystic South (this is supposed to be a Witchfest review, not a Mystic South promo, but it came up numerous times during the day).
Lots more people stopped by. A few I knew, some I only knew online, and many were new acquaintances. I’m an introvert who still doesn’t do well with small talk, but I always enjoy talking about the kind of topics that come up at an event like Witchfest.
I never know how many books to take to events like this. Since I was driving and there was plenty of room in the car, I took all I had. I sold over half of them – I’m happy with that. If you bought one, know that I’m grateful for your support and I wish you well as you work through them.
Talking about the Morrigan
My presentation was “The Morrigan: An Introduction to the Great Queen.” Witchfest is a very broad, high-level Pagan event – lots of different people with different ideas about what Paganism and witchcraft are, and what they want it to be. I was a little nervous about presenting something so explicitly religious. But this is what I do, and this is Who I serve.
The turnout was good. And while there were a few people who got a couple minutes into it and decided to leave (which is fine – this isn’t for everyone), most people stayed to the end.
I started by explaining that I’m a polytheist and my experiences are grounded in polytheism. I talked about the different Morrigans – I encouraged people to follow the scholarship, but also to embrace the mystery of the multiplicity of the Gods. I told two of the stories of the Morrigan in Irish lore. And then I talked about my own experiences of Her, and how She’s been calling people to Her service for over ten years (that I know of).
After the presentation, a few people wanted to talk about their own experiences of the Morrigan – I always love hearing those stories.
If you were in that presentation – or if you weren’t – and you didn’t get the list of books I recommended, here’s a review of one of them. The rest are listed in the “Other Morrigan Resources” section at the bottom of that post.
There’s no substitute for in-person festivals
Last summer I wrote The Future of Online Pagan Events Post-Covid. I was a bit early with that – the delta and omicron spikes were yet to come. But I still see things much the same as I saw them then. We learned a lot about online events, and we need to continue doing some of them.
Classes do better online. I’m finishing up teaching Intermediate Spiritual Practice, and while there are things that would have been easier to present in person, there’s probably nobody who’s taking the class who could come to me for seven weeks of in-person instruction.
Concerts are great for a hybrid approach – both in-person and online. My musician friends have missed playing live as much as I’ve missed teaching live (probably more) and there’s nothing like hearing live music. Having an online option means more people can share in the experience – and more people can buy tickets to support their favorite musicians.
But there’s no substitute for holding conferences, conventions, and festivals in-person. There’s nothing like being able to see and hear and touch (with consent – especially if I’m involved) other people, and then enjoy simply being Pagan for a couple of days.
It was so good to be back
We aren’t “back to normal.” There is no “normal” to go back to. I understand that some people will never feel safe in a large public gathering again. We all have different risk factors and different tolerance for risk. I will miss you, and I will do my part to stay in touch online. But for most of us, it’s time to resume our large festivals.
I had a great time at Austin Witchfest. I appreciate the invitation, the hospitality, and the opportunity to speak.
And I look forward to many more.
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